Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

-----and there is a transfer of Defence Forces personnel. We are proud of the job they do for this country both nationally and internationally. The fact is that the location of personnel in a large number of places has been a major difficulty in the provision of essential training and in terms of safeguarding the barracks concerned and the additional costs that are imposed thereby. If the Deputy considers the areas in which barracks have closed over the last ten or 15 years, he will see that the economic consequence has not been as he said. Personnel have not moved from areas in which barracks have been closed to receiving barracks and the local economy is still the beneficiary of the wages and salaries of Defence Forces personnel in the area.

In response to the Deputy's last question, I can confirm that I have received, with regret, a letter of resignation from the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Penrose.

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