Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 October 2023
100. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on the number of married quarters and houses that remain within the possession of the Defence Forces or his Department; and the number currently vacant. [42593/23]
View answer122. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of vacant married quarters and houses that were in the possession of the Defence Forces or his Department on 1 January 2023 and have been occupied by new tenants since that date. [42594/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 122 together.
As the Deputy is aware, it has been a long standing policy of the Department and the Defence Forces, in line with other public sector employers, to discontinue the historic provision of tied housing to serving personnel, including the provision of married quarters for serving personnel.
In relation to the number of vacant properties available, this data is not held by my Department. The allocation of such housing is decided locally by the military authorities. My Department has requested updated statistics on same and I will arrange to forward same to the Deputy when available.
The Deputy will also be aware that I have instructed the Defence Forces to carry out an assessment of the vacant housing stock to ascertain their suitability to a return to modern single living in accommodation usage for serving personnel. My officials have engaged with the Defence Forces in relation to the drafting of the necessary tender documentation to carry out such an assessment. The revised tender documentation is awaited in my Department.
