Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 21 Jun 2001

Vol. 538 No. 5

Written Answers. - Army Barracks.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

21 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Defence the funding he has allocated for recreational activities in each Army barracks. [18329/01]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 47 and 51 together.

The position is that upwards of £43 million has been allocated in my Department's Estimates this year for the provision of new buildings and the upgrading of existing facilities. The refurbishment of living quarters and the provision of recreational and community facilities for military personnel is an integral part of my Department's building plans.

In this connection a special reinvestment programme was initiated by my Department in 1999, to complement expenditure on the normal range of building and engineering works, for the purpose of providing modern living, operational and training accommodation for the Defence Forces. The special programme is centred mainly on the Curragh Camp and on Collins Barracks, Cork. The cost of this programme is estimated at £45 million.

In addition my Department has an ongoing construction programme over the next five years for the refurbishment of existing facilities for military personnel in barracks nationwide. The cost of this programme is estimated at more than £100 million.

Details of projects in both programmes in so far as they refer to the provision of living quarters, recreational and community facilities are shown in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report. The expenditure proposed for these projects is £50 million approximately, £13 million for living quarters, and, £37 million for recreational and community facilities.

Programme – Refurbishment/Upgrade of Recreational and Community Facilities.

Project Description	Location	Completed2000-2002	Proposed2002-2007	Cost £m
New Swimming Pool and Gymnasium	Curagh Camp	Yes		IR£6.10
NCO's Mess East – Preliminary Work	Curagh Camp	Yes		IR£0.57
NCO's Mess East – Refurbishment	Curagh Camp	Yes		IR£2.10
Dining Complex/NCO's Mess West	Curagh Camp	Yes		IR£3.60
Connolly Bks – Upgrade Privates Mess	Curagh Camp	Yes		IR£0.20
St. Brigid's Church – Refurbishment	Curagh Camp	Yes		IR£0.21
Project Description	Location	Completed2000-2002	Proposed2002-2007	Cost £m
Boy's School – Fencing	Curagh Camp	Yes		IR£0.04
Girl's School – Boiler System Replacement	Curagh Camp	Yes		IR£0.03
McKee Bks – Upgrade Privates Mess	Dublin		Yes	IR£0.75
Cathal Brugha Bks – Upgrade NCO's Mess	Dublin		Yes	IR£0.75
McKee Bks – Gymnasium	Dublin		Yes	IR£1.75
McKee Bks – Refurbishment – Officers Mess, Phase 1	Dublin		Yes	IR£2.50
Arbour Hill Church – Painting	Dublin	Yes		IR£0.08
Aer Corps – Relocate Football Pitches	Baldonnel		Yes	IR£0.13
Aer Corps – Refurbishment Officers Mess	Baldonnel		Yes	IR£0.75
Aer Corps – Upgrade NCO's Mess	Baldonnel		Yes	IR£0.20
Collins Barracks – Gymnasium	Cork	Yes		IR£1.95
Collins Barracks – Mens Dining Hall	Cork	Yes		IR£1.73
Collins Barracks – NCO's Mess	Cork	Yes		IR£1.39
Kilworth Camp – Upgrade all facilities	Cork		Yes	IR£2.50
Naval Service – Upgrade “Old” Officers Mess	Cork		Yes	IR£0.10
Sarsfield Bks – New Cookhouse/Mens Club	Limerick		Yes	IR£3.30
Sarsfield Bks – Church – Heating	Limerick		Yes	IR£0.04
Monaghan Bks – Gymnasium	Monaghan	Yes		IR£0.14
Aiken Bks – Convert Riding School to Gym	Dundalk		Yes	IR£0.60
Finner Camp – Refurbish Privates Mess	Donegal	Yes		IR£0.05
Coolmoney Camp – Upgrade all Facilities	Wicklow		Yes	IR£4.70
Coolmoney Camp – Huts Refurbishment	Wicklow	Yes		IR£0.30

The extent to which the ongoing construction/refurbishment programme, 2002-07, progresses will depend on the finance available each year.

Programme – Refurbishment/Upgrade of Living Quartérs

Project Description	Location	Completed2000-2002	Proposed2002-2007	Cost £m
Clarke Barracks – Blocks A and B	Curragh Camp	Yes		IR£1.26
Connolly Barracks – Student Accommodation	Curragh Camp	Yes		IR£2.56
Cathal Brugha Bks – P and Q Block	Dublin	Yes		IR£0.74
Cathal Brugha Bks – Upgrade Billets	Dublin	Yes		IR£1.4
McKee Bks – Accommodation Block	Dublin		Yes	IR£1.5
Cathal Brugha Bks – Accommodation Block	Dublin		Yes	IR£1.5
Colins Bks – Upgrade Officers/Mens Accommodation	Cork		Yes	IR£1
Collins Bks – Upgrade Officers Accommodation	Cork		Yes	IR£1
Naval Service – Upgrade Billet Block	Cork		Yes	IR£1
Stephens Bks – Refurbish Officer Accommodation	Kilkenny		Yes	IR£0.75
Sarsfield Bks – Accommodation Block	Limerick		Yes	IR£0.6

The extent to which the ongoing construction-refurbishment programme, 2002-07, progresses will depend on the finance available each year.