Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

There are no plans to construct a training hall in Thurles, County Tipperary for the Reserve Defence Force. The military authorities inform me that the current facility in Thurles meets the needs of the RDF. My Department was approached some time ago by a developer who wished to access his adjoining property through a portion of the RDF property in Thurles. However, no agreement has been made by my Department to sell any part of this military property, nor has any commitment been entered into regarding the incorporation of any portion of the property into any proposed development in the vicinity.

There is an ongoing capital building programme in my Department designed to modernise the living, training, operational and accommodation facilities available to the Defence Forces, both permanent and reserve. There has been an unprecedented level of spending on the programme to date with more than €200 million spent between 1999 and 2005. This year will see a further €21.8 million invested in the programme. The programme, based on prioritised needs, is agreed between the civil and military authorities and approved annually by the Minister.

On the issue of protective clothing, a quantity of disruptive pattern material, DPM, wet suits is available to all members of the RDF on a pool basis within each formation. Each formation has an allocation of 1,500 suits. There are currently no plans to provide each member of the RDF with a DPM wet suit.

See this speech in context