Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I am delighted to speak on this motion and I compliment my colleagues in Fianna Fáil on tabling it. I do not agree with the previous speaker that it is opportunistic. I welcome the Army personnel and their families from Columb Barracks who are in the Visitors Gallery. I understand some of their colleagues from Clonmel are expected to arrive as well.

I salute the previous Government. I had many difficulties with that Government but, in fairness, it protected the barracks it could protect. It certainly protected Kickham Barracks in Clonmel, south Tipperary, which I represent. I invited the former Ministers, Deputy Willie O'Dea and former Deputy Tony Killeen, to visit Kickham Barracks. They both visited the barracks to see what a wonderful institution it is. It is a fabulous facility. They met the personnel and saw its infrastructural impact on the town. It has an excellent location and has been there for hundreds of years.

There was a vague response last night from the Minister. It is a retrograde step that there is not a separate full Ministry for defence, with due respect to the Minister of State, Deputy Dinny McGinley. It was a bad move by the Government because it sends the wrong signal. Will we get rid of the Army altogether? Have we no interest in the Army? I have received many contacts from soldiers and their families in Kickham Barracks in Clonmel over recent weeks. Indeed, Deputy Troy raised the matter in a Topical Issue debate and he was told emphatically that there was no threat to the barracks. Since then, there have been many rumours and counter rumours.

I visited Kickham Barracks twice in the past two weeks. I called in last Monday and was instructed when I was leaving that I was not to call again without the permission of the Department of Defence. That is a retrograde step.

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