Vol. 416 No. 1
14 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Defence if, having regard to the sale of the officer's quarters in Clonmel, County Tipperary, he will outline whether it is proposed to retain that barracks as a location for the Permanent Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
38 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline, (a) the number of military posts which will be closed across the country under his programme for rationalisation, (b) the time frame under which this will come into effect and (c) the consideration being given to the personnel involved and their families.
42 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Defence the number of manned military posts; whether he expects a reduction in coming years; and, if so, the areas in which it will occur.
55 Mr. T. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline his future plans for Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
56 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the military barracks at Ballincollig, County Cork.
70 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Defence if it is intended to retain the military barracks in Castlebar, County Mayo; if he will outline the number stationed there at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
asked ask the Minister for Defence when a decision will be made on the future of military barracks in Cork county; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
87 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Defence if the planned rationalisation of Permanent Defence Force installations includes the closure of Magee Barracks, Kildare and associated facilities.
119 Mr. G. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline his plans for the military barracks in Cork city, Ballincollig and Fermoy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 38, 42, 55, 56, 70, 78, 87, and 119 together. There are 28 barracks and posts occupied by the Defence Forces — counting the Curragh Camp as one barracks.
My Department are at present examining the future of all military barracks and posts in the context of rationalising military properties. I am not yet in a position to say when decisions will be taken in these matters. All the implications involved, including the relocating of personnel — Deputy Taylor-Quinn mentioned this — will be given the fullest consideration before any decisions are made.
It is not the practice, for security reasons, to disclose the number of troops stationed at any particular military barracks or post.
Will those recommendations be implemented before the next general election? In relation to Question No. 14, may I ask the Minister given that the unit headquarters of the troops based in Clonmel is located in Limerick, what are the prospects in the medium-term of the infantry company remaining there? Is the Minister aware that if this post is closed the troops concerned will face significant social difficulties as a result of having to move?
I have already revealed to the House my own views about the social difficulties. They were not just for the Official Report, they are the reality of the way I will be looking at it. As I told the Deputy in my original reply, we are looking at the 28 barracks and posts to see how we can rationalise the location of our Defence Forces throughout the country. The best wisdom in my Department wrote: "I am not yet in a position to say when decisions will be taken in these matters". I rely on the wisdom of my Department in relation to such matters.
Will the Minister accept that 28 barracks are probably for more than we need for the efficient, logistical deployment of our forces today? Given the inevitability that barracks will be closed, will the Minister agree that the better proposition and way forward is to produce a plan of rationalisation covering the whole country and which shows this is not simply a localised, piecemeal approach to the question of rationalisation? Will he also agree that it is incumbent on him to put in place in such a plan proposals for dealing with the very difficult local problems which will emerge, such as the loss of local employment and the displacement of families? Whatever comes from the Department cannot involve the simple closing of structures, it must also present proposals for alternative employment and plans for dealing with other social disruptions which will occur.
I agree with the Deputy in regard to all those implications, including the not inconsiderable one of the economic benefit of a military post in a town; indeed, the smaller the town the more traumatic it will be if the post is removed. In the short time I have had to consider the matter, I have been thinking of initiating a study into the whole situation and building decisions on an internal or external assessment of the position of the 28 barracks and military posts. It is something I will keep in mind.
Will the Minister accept that dispersal — or relocation — of military personnel and the necessary back-up services should be done on the basis of military strategy, by dispersing troops and installations throughout the country in a way that they will be within a reasonable distance of all parts of the country and not allow over-concentration in any one quarter? With that in mind, will he not accept the unique location of the Curragh Command?
It so happens that the Curragh is the military barracks about which I know most as I did my football training there and I have very good friends in the McDonagh mess. Military considerations will, of course, be important and the Deputy and the House will be aware that, because of the unfortunate situation in relation to the Border, there is considerable concentration of troops in Border countries. Solely military considerations cannot be applied to the proposed action and the thrust of suggestions from Members of the House has been that social implications, while not of paramount importance, are almost equally important to military considerations. Needless to say, the wisdom of our military authorities will be brought to bear on the matter, including that of the representative organisations.
Given the major problems which must be dealt with and the fact that in many ways the Department of Defence developed in a piecemeal way in the past, will the Minister agree that it is in the interests of the Department that a Green Paper should be issued on the future role of the Defence Forces in terms of the number of barracks, personnel and finance, to give everyone an opportunity to discuss this matter? It might be a meaningful way of dealing with the problem.
I do not have any plans to issue a Green Paper. I know that various study groups operate — or have operated — in the Army dealing with at least part of the programme which the Deputy outlined.
Will the Minister agree that military families are different from many other families because, in many cases, the breadwinner must serve overseas? The local community support provided, particularly in towns across the country, is extremely important for the wives and families left behind. Will the Minister agree that this matter should be considered when the whole rationalisation programme is taken into account?
I agree with the Deputy and I know, in the short time I have been in the Department, that they are fully cognisant of the importance of support groups from the social and morale point of view to the people who are serving abroad.
