Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 March 2009
360 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which all military installations decommissioned in 1998 and 2008 have been disposed of; if not disposed of, their use and associated cost; if disposed of, the net receipts; if accounts have been closed in all cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10180/09]
View answerA Government decision, on 15 July 1998, approved a programme of closure and disposal of six barracks considered surplus to military requirements. The barracks in question were located at Ballincollig, Fermoy, Naas, Castleblayney, Kildare, and Islandbridge, Dublin.
Five of these properties have been disposed of with net receipts as follows: Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig €44.5 million, Fitzgerald Camp, Fermoy €973,889, Devoy Barracks, Naas €9.3 million, Castleblayney Barracks €761,843, and Clancy Barracks, Islandbridge €25.4 million.
The Government decided on 1 July 2003 that Magee Barracks, Kildare would be among the State lands released to Kildare County Council for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress Affordable Housing Initiative. My Department is currently finalising contracts with the Chief State Solicitor's Office. There is no financial consideration in relation to the transfer of this property.
The Government decision of 14 October 2008 approved a programme for consolidation of Defence Forces formations and the closure of a further four barracks at Monaghan, Longford, Rockhill and Lifford in Donegal. It is anticipated that these barracks, which closed in January 2009, will be disposed of, taking account of market conditions, so as to maximise the return to the Defence Forces and generate funding for reinvestment in Defence Forces equipment and infrastructure in accordance with Government policy.
