Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Minister that there is a sense of urgency, but why is that? It is because the Department did nothing in respect of this matter for four years but now the Minister of State wants us to have a public meeting on Thursday night and to come back very quickly with a plan. The Minister of State had four years to devise a plan and did not do so, but he wants us to do it in four days.

I ask him to press the pause button on this. Tell us on the floor of the House that the barracks will not go to public auction for the foreseeable future. Afford the community an opportunity to bring forward a plan. There are some very good ideas. It can be used for educational facilities or to house the Reserve Defence Force, in respect of which the Department is paying €25,000 per annum to a private landlord down the road. It can be used by the GAA or Mullingar Arts Centre. We want a commitment from the Minister to press the pause button so that the barracks does not go for public auction in the foreseeable future. He should allow an opportunity for community groups to come together to carry out a feasibility study for the long-term use of this facility. They could work with Westmeath County Council and Westmeath-Longford Education and Training Board, which might also have an interest in the building in terms of the provision of post leaving certificate courses or a new secondary school in Mullingar, something that is badly needed. The Minister should enable the community groups to work together to provide what was promised when he closed the facility - namely, that it would remain in community use.

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