Vol. 432 No. 8
17 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence the specific proposals, if any, the Government has to meet the commitment given in the Programme for a Partnership Government 1993-1997 to improve living accommodation for members of the Defence Forces and their families; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
86 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent and quality of Army and Navy accommodation available at present; the number of housing units currently occupied or unoccupied; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 86 together. The properties and buildings owned by the Department and used by the Defence Forces are extensive in scale and for many years, the Department has been pursuing a programme of building, construction and upgrading to provide the Defence Forces with accommodation suitable to the needs of a modern military organisation. A board has been established to examine the whole question of married quarters in the Defence Forces, including the condition and grading of such quarters. It will also examine measures to encourage a higher degree of home ownership by members of the Defence Forces and is also examining how local authorities could meet the housing needs of military personnel in the context of the Plan for Social Housing and the Public Capital Programme. In this connection, it should be mentioned that married Army personnel have an equal claim on local authority housing with other members of the community.
A considerable number of quarters have been sold to their occupants in recent years on very favourable terms and consideration is being given to the sale of additional quarters. It is recognised that the remaining holding of quarters should be maintained to an adequate standard. It is the responsibility of the Army Corps of Engineers to inspect married quarters and carry out renovation work as may be required within the resources available to them for that purpose. Major renovations have been carried out in recent years to married quarters in the Curragh and Collins Barracks, Cork.
At present a total of 409 officers and other ranks live in married quarters. A total of 2,391 officers and other ranks live in single accommodation.
