Vol. 577 No. 3
153 Mr. S. Power asked the Minister for Defence his future plans for Magee Barracks; the groups or organisations his Department officials or he has met regarding this property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30900/03]
The Government has committed to an ambitious scale of delivery of affordable housing coming through the new affordable housing initiative under Sustaining Progress and through existing affordable housing schemes. The announcement in July this year of the Government decision to release Magee Barracks, Kildare, and Gormanston Camp, County Meath, as well as a number of sites in the administration of the Office of Public Works, was a critical first step in ensuring early delivery of affordable housing under this initiative which is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. It is envisaged that the local authorities will have an important role in ensuring delivery of affordable housing at these sites. Arising from this development the necessary legal formalities are in train to effect a transfer of Magee Barracks from the administration of the Department of Defence at an early date.
Since the closure of Magee Barracks in 1998 my officials and I have met public representatives, officials from Kildare County Council and community representatives on a number of occasions. Officials from the Department most recently met with representatives of Kildare town residents council on 10 November, 2003.
