The Government, on 15 July 1998, approved a programme of evacuation and sale of six barracks considered surplus to military requirements. The barracks in question are located at Ballincollig, Fermoy, Castleblayney, Naas, Kildare and Clancy Barracks, Dublin.
The sale of approximately 91 acres comprising lot 1, Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, to O'Flynn Construction for €41 million was completed in 2003. In addition, the sale of lot 2 to the sitting tenant for €1.05 million — my Department's reversionary interest in approximately 6.2 acres of the barrack lands — was completed last year. A further area comprising more than 27 acres at Murphy Barracks will be handed over to Cork County Council for community use. Agreements have also been reached for the sale of a site, comprising circa 2.7 acres to the Southern Heath Board and a further plot of circa 1.7 acres to the Department of Education and Science. Receipts in excess of €2.8 million will accrue to my Department in respect of those disposals.
An area comprising circa 0.545 of an acre has been set aside on foot of a request from the Office of Public Works for a plot of ground to facilitate extension of the existing Garda station located on Main Street, Ballincollig. My Department is in correspondence with the OPW on arrangements for transfer of the lands concerned, including the matter of a consideration therefor.
A total of 19.218 acres at the former Fitzgerald Camp, Fermoy, were sold to Cork County Council in 2001 for €973,889 for development in conjunction with the IDA. Castleblayney Military Post, Monaghan, comprising approximately ten acres, was sold to the North Eastern Health Board for €761,843.
A total of seven acres at Devoy Barracks, Naas, County Kildare, were ceded free of charge to Naas Urban District Council, while a further 14 acres were sold to that authority for €8,888,167. The balance of the barracks lands — one acre — was sold to Kildare County Council for €380,921.
Magee Barracks, Kildare, comprises an area of 65 acres. At present, approximately 15 acres of the property are being used by the Reception and Integration Agency of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to accommodate asylum seekers and a further site comprising approximately one acre is being used by Kildare County Council as a temporary halting site for 20 persons. The Government, on 1 July 2003, decided to release this property to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for inclusion in a new affordable housing initiative agreed under the national partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress.
An offer of €25.4 million was accepted from Florence Properties Ltd., for the sale of Clancy Barracks, Dublin, comprising approximately 13.65 acres. A contract of sale was exchanged in December 2003 and completion is imminent.