Vol. 556 No. 4
71 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the numbers of over-holders in Defence Forces accommodation in respect of whom eviction notices have been issued; and if he will withdraw the eviction notices and enter into discussions with the families involved with a view to regularising their situations or assisting them to secure alternative accommodation. [20497/02]
Married quarters are provided for serving personnel of the Permanent Defence Force. The Department of Defence has no responsibility for the provision of accommodation for ex-members of the force or their families. On being discharged from the Permanent Defence Force, soldiers are obliged to vacate married quarters within a number of weeks and the vast majority of occupants comply with this requirement. On 26 August this year, the Department wrote to 54 occupants to request that they vacate the quarters in which they were residing. The Minister met representatives of those involved in the Curragh Camp on 2 October and departmental officials have since interviewed the persons concerned to establish the circumstances of each case.
The Department intends to work with Kildare County Council, the statutory body responsible for housing in the area, with a view to resolving the problem and it is hoped to meet council officials in the near future. All options, including affordable housing, shared ownership and co-op housing schemes will be discussed at the meeting and every effort will be made to ensure that the council offers assistance in cases where individuals are eligible for local authority housing. Assistance will be given with mortgage grant applications in cases where overholders have been offered sale of the quarters. Each case will be considered on its own merits and the Department will be in further contact with each of the individuals concerned in due course. No further action will be taken in the interim.
