Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

It was actually brighter on 5 December when the Minister made his announcement. Why was the western brigade chosen to be left behind in the new arrangement? The personnel serving in Custume Barracks want to know how many of them will be moved out of the barracks. If he decided to reduce the number of brigades in what he termed a cost-cutting measure, surely he cannot expect the House to believe that only 50 members of the Defence Forces will move out of the barracks. Few costs would be saved.

Will the Minister confirm that 1,400 positions, regardless of whether they are filled, are attached to Custume Barracks? I gather that, when speaking on local radio in the midlands during the week, the Minister stated that Custume Barracks would not be large enough for so many people. It was not Deputies on this side of the House who stated they had no confidence in the Minister, rather it was one of his colleagues. From local Deputies, including some members of the Minister's party, I gather Custume Barracks is well able to house that number of people. During the debate in the House in the run-up to the closure of the barracks in Mullingar, the Minister assured us Custume Barracks was more than capable of taking in personnel from Mullingar.

That these are the last Department of Defence priority questions in this session presents a difficulty. We will not have a chance to question the Minister again until September. When will the information be shared with the House and with those affected in Custume Barracks? Will we have a chance to question the Minister on the matter?

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