Michael D. Higgins
Ceist:79 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding the sale of lands and barracks by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13785/01]
Written Answers - Defence Forces Property.
Olivia Mitchell
Ceist:174 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Defence the land or property his Department has disposed of in the past three years; the further plans he has for disposal; if, in all cases, the local housing authority has been given first refusal; and the number of cases where land or property has been purchased by local councils. [13656/01]
Alan Shatter
Ceist:188 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Defence if he will brief Dáil Éireann on the progress in the Government's 1999 policy to close and sell six military barracks; the revenue which was expected to accrue in regard to Magee Barracks Kildare and Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, County Cork; and the revenue which accrued to the Defence Forces from the sale of these two barracks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13983/01]
Billy Timmins
Ceist:189 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Defence the amount realised or expected to be realised by the sale of military property and lands, excluding the six barracks closed in 1999; the percentage of the amount realised or expected to be realised that will accrue to the Defence Forces; the specific use to be made of the revenue realised by the sale of these properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13984/01]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:202 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the position in relation to the disposal of the various military installations closed in 1998; the total receipts accruing to the Exchequer; the total costs involved in the exercise to date; the anticipated further income and costs likely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14036/01]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:203 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the position in relation to disposal and use of Devoy Barracks, Naas, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14037/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 174, 188, 189, 202, and 203 together.
The sale of six barracks identified as surplus to military requirements is being progressed. The barracks in question are located at Fermoy, Ballincollig, Naas, Kildare, Castleblayney and Clancy Barracks, Dublin.
Fitzgerald Camp, Fermoy, is in the process of being sold to Cork County Council for economic development of the site in conjunction with the IDA. The agreed price is £767,000 and it is hoped that the formalities of this sale can be completed in the very near future. The lands will be developed and marketed as a strategic industrial site to attract inward investment.
The former Devoy Barracks, Naas, County Kildare, comprises an area of approximately 22 acres. I agreed to cede seven acres free of charge to Naas UDC and to sell one acre to Kildare County Council for £300,000, all for local community purposes. I have also agreed to sell the remaining 14 acres or thereabouts, which are zoned for housing, to Naas UDC for £7 million. The legal formalities to give effect to these agreements are progressing.
The Castleblayney property is in the process of being sold to the North-Eastern Health Board for £600,000 and it is anticipated that sale contracts will be signed in the near future. Pending completion of the legal and financial formalities, a caretaker's agreement was completed and the former barracks was handed over to the health board last year on foot of that agreement. The legal formalities to complete the sale are progressing.
A comprehensive integrated action area plan was commissioned from independent consultants to provide for the future development of the largest of the barracks concerned, Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig. That plan provides for a wide range of community, amenity, residential and commercial uses for the property. The development of the Murphy Barracks lands will be critical in the future overall development of the town of Ballincollig. My Department submitted the integrated plan to Cork County Council in April of last year for consideration in the context of a variation to the existing Cork county development plan. Discussions are ongoing between Cork County Council and my Department to determine the best way forward to realise the potential of the integrated plan, while taking account of the aspirations of all sides. It is hoped to bring the matter to conclusion at an early date.
The vacated Magee Barracks, Kildare, is now providing accommodation for asylum seekers. I have also agreed to provide circa one acre to the local authority for a temporary halting site for 20 persons for a period of one year. In view of those needs, it has not been possible to arrange for the disposal of the property. However, this matter is being kept under review.
Clancy Barracks, Dublin, will be evacuated in the near future when alternative accommodation becomes available. My Department, following a tender competition, has appointed selling agents, Hamilton Osborne King, to offer for sale by public tender on 14 June 2001, the barracks of 13.65 acres.
In addition to the foregoing properties, agreements have also been reached for the sale of the following.
1.07 acres at Arbour Hill to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform for £2.5 million.
6.39 acres known as "Susan's Field", adjoining Collins Barracks, Cork to Cork Corporation for £1.2 million.
3.0192 acres at Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick, to Limerick Corporation for £915,000.
1.559 acres at Waterford Barracks to Waterford Corporation for £550,000.
20 acres of the Curragh lands to Kildare County Council for £215,000 to assist with the construction of the Kildare by-pass.
The disposal of ten acres at Mellows Field beside Renmore Barracks, Galway will proceed as soon as is practicable, while 100 married quarters at Orchard Park, Curragh, County Kildare will be sold to residents, which will realise approximately £3 million.
As can be seen, many of the properties are destined for disposal to local authorities in recognition of the increased needs for building lands being experienced by those authorities. A number of smaller surplus properties are also being sold to various individuals at present. In the past three years, 21 properties have been disposed of by my Department. The bulk of those disposals is made up of the sale of 11 houses at Magee Terrace, Kildare Town, adjacent to the former Magee Barracks.
The costs associated with the sale of the six Barracks identified for disposal in 1998 are
|
Fermoy: |
Advertising etc. |
£6,285 |
|
Security costs |
£240,744 |
|
|
Naas: |
Advertising etc. |
£25,340 |
|
Security costs |
£275,966 |
|
|
Castleblayney: |
Advertising etc. |
£21,649 |
|
Security costs |
£103,398 |
|
|
Ballincollig: |
Advertising, Integrated Plan etc. |
£101,793 |
|
Security costs |
£444,344 |
|
|
Magee Kildare: |
Advertising etc. |
£4,054 |
|
Security costs |
£91,109 |
|
|
Clancy: |
Advertising etc. |
£5,493 |
Savings to date on military security duty allowances alone amount to £882,000 approximately. In addition, there have been significant savings on utility costs, such as telephone, gas and electricity charges at each of the evacuated barracks which would have amounted to approximately £150,000 in the case of Murphy Barracks. Contingent on closing dates for sales, additional costs will arise in respect of the sale of barracks.
As indicated, the disposal of barracks is proceeding and it is expected that in excess of £50 million will be realised from the sale of the properties. The moneys raised from the sale of the six barracks earmarked for disposal in 1998, and those additional surplus properties since identified, will be used primarily for re-equipment and refurbishment within the Defence Forces. The barrack re-investment programme commenced in 1999 and will run until 2003. Expenditure to date amounts to:
|
1999 |
£2.265 million |
|
2000 |
£7.943 million |
|
2001 (to date) |
£9.300 million |
while future projected expenditure is as follows
|
2001 (balance) |
£22.700 million |
|
2002 |
£2.173 million |
|
2003 |
£0.150 million |
Provision for this expenditure is being made in my Department's Estimates.