Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Did the Cabinet decide today to close down army barracks in Clonmel, Mullingar, Castlebar and Cavan? What is the rationale for this proposal when there are no savings to the State? For the 600 soldiers and their families, most of whom are workers in uniform as ordinary rank and file members, this will be an enormous ordeal, forcing them to uproot and move to different towns and cities. One can imagine the hardship for younger soldiers with families and mortgages in negative equity. Children will be uprooted from schools and from their extended families and communities.

The economic dislocation to the towns concerned, particularly Mullingar, Clonmel and Cavan with around 200 soldiers in each barracks, will be considerable. In Clonmel, PDFORRA estimate a loss of €9 million to €10 million per annum to the town's economy. That is a loss to shops, restaurants, small enterprises and trades and is equivalent to a small size factory or workplace closing down. There are no economic benefits to the State. No savings will be made, because moving the soldiers and their families will mean refurbishment and other extensive costs. What is the point when this is hitting the same domestic economy as the Government's general austerity policy?

There are local campaigns in these towns involving soldiers, their families and friends and the community-----

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