Vol. 521 No. 5
40 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Defence the total costs incurred to date by his Department arising from the provision of security for the six Army barracks which have been closed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17491/00]
110 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the costs to date of maintenance and/or any other expenditure in connection with Devoy Barracks, Naas, County Kildare, since the decision to close the barracks in 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17757/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 110 together.
The total cost to date of security at the vacated military barracks is as follows: Ballincollig – £288,776.73; Castleblayney – £103,398.15; Fermoy – £152,927.35; Naas – £193,344.54; Kildare – £88,920.48. Other costs relating to maintenance and so forth incurred to date in respect of Devoy Barracks, Naas, total £7,226.02.
The costs for security at Magee Barracks have been borne by the Eastern Health Board since that property was handed over to accommodate Kosovar refugees on 12 May 1999. Castleblayney Military Barracks was transferred to the North Eastern Health Board on a caretaker basis on 9 February 2000 and no further security costs will fall to be met by my Department in relation to that property.
Significant savings have arisen since the evacuation of the five barracks placed under private security arrangements. On military security duty allowances alone, it is estimated that savings to date amount to almost £570,000. In addition, there have been significant savings on utility costs such as telephone, gas and electricity charges at each of the evacuated barracks which, for example, would have amounted to approximately £93,000 in the case of Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig.
Is maintenance to ensure the buildings are kept up to standard being carried out by the Department or put out to tender or is it being carried out by local maintenance companies? How far advanced is the sale of each barracks? There appears to be a question with regard to whether the sale of Devoy Barracks in Naas is by public or private tender.
We have spent a little more than £7,000 on general maintenance of the type mentioned by the Deputy since the evacuation of the barracks. We have continued to carry out essential work of that nature. The main priority is to dispose of the barracks as quickly as possible and we must ensure they are kept in good condition in the meantime.
Naas is being sold by public tender. We expect to sell that barracks quite soon. The Deputy will have seen the advertisement in the newspapers recently. Castleblayney has gone on a caretaker basis and we hope to move quickly with regard to Ballincollig. It is often dangerous to offer a timescale for matters such as these but I expect that at least three barracks will be legally disposed of by the end of this year and that at least two more will be disposed of by the end of 2001. It is possible that one might not be completed until 2002. We are in negotiation with the Department of the Environment and Local Government and a certain local authority and, if that is successful, it could be completed faster. That is the projected timescale for completion of the sale of the barracks.
Has the Minister received any requests from the Minister with responsibility for housing or from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to review the sale of these barracks given the huge accommodation needs which have emerged in a most dramatic manner in relation to asylum seekers, refugees and people on the housing lists? Has there been a review of the decision to sell the barracks so the land can be used for voluntary housing, local authority accommodation or as ongoing emergency accommodation for the variety of people who need it?
Clearly there were requests from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I have tried to accommodate his requests as far as possible. A decision has been taken with regard to a parcel of land in Magee Barracks in Kildare and land in Tralee. In a number of other cases the land is practically at the point of sale.
We have also had discussions with the local authorities. In the case of Naas, the local authority has already taken approximately seven and a half acres for its purposes. In another case we are having discussions with the Department of the Environment and Local Government and a local authority which relate primarily to social housing. There is no significant change in policy. We are trying to ensure that we meet emergency demands for social housing, commercial development, private housing and various other needs in a good action plan.
Some of the pressures which emerged were unexpected. In the case of Magee Barracks, I appreciate the support of local representatives in how the matter was handled. However, that does not preclude me from going ahead with an action plan for the balance of the lands which are quite substantial. We could win on all fronts, as it were.
Is there not a need to review that given the need for more land for local authority housing? Has this not been discussed with the Department and is the Minister willing to do that? Obviously, the Minister has a commitment to fund the Defence Forces from the sale of the lands but is the decision regarding the sale of what is left definitive at this stage?
In the case of Clancy Barracks the purchaser of the full site is likely to be a local authority. We are hoping to make a number of accommodations on all the sites while at the same time do a good deal for the Defence Forces in terms of the financial outcome.
