Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

As the Deputy may know, a total of €85 million was received in respect of the sale of seven barracks at Ballincollig, Fermoy, Naas, Castleblayney, Monaghan, Longford and Islandbridge - latterly called Clancy Barracks - which has been closed for over 12 years. Only part of Longford Barracks was closed. Should barrack closures occur in the future, I would be anxious that we should continue with the approach that was adopted previously, namely, that the money obtained should be reinvested in the Defence Forces. As a result of the way in which moneys have been dealt with in recent years, the Defence Forces have been in a position to modernise buildings and procure up-to-date equipment. Such equipment is extremely important in the context of domestic duties and peacekeeping operations. I do not intend to depart from such an approach should it prove necessary for barrack closures to take place.

See this speech in context