Vol. 558 No. 5
124 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the position in regard to the overholder situation at the Curragh Camp; if his Department has met with all the overholders; if agreements have been reached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25089/02]
On 26 August 2002, the Department wrote to the occupiers of 54 quarters which were overheld, and requested that they vacate the quarters in which they were residing. I subsequently met representatives of the overholders in the Curragh Camp on 2 October 2002. Since then, officials of the Department have interviewed the persons concerned in order to establish the particular circumstances in each case. It is now the Department's intention to work with Kildare County Council, the statutory body responsible for housing, with a view to resolving the problem of overholding and it is hoped to meet with officials of the council in the near future. All options will be discussed with the council, including affordable housing, shared ownership and co-op housing schemes. Every effort will be made to ensure that the council offers assistance in all cases where the individuals are eligible for local authority housing and also grant applications for mortgages in cases where overholders have been offered sale of the quarters. Each case will be considered on its own merits and the Department will be in further contact with each of the individuals concerned in due course. In the interim no further action will be taken in the matter.
