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

While I accept the Minister of State's bona fides and his statement that he is trying to help, unfortunately it does not ring true on the ground. I organised the meeting to which he referred and the departmental official was made welcome. The Department is paying for security at the former barracks. Perhaps the Minister of State will consider diverting some of the funding for security to the local group to carry out a feasibility study.

What bothers me most is the attitude taken by many Ministers when they claim various matters are not their responsibility but the responsibility of another Department. There is no joined up thinking on this issue. We have a housing crisis and more than ten acres of the site could be used for new housing. Buildings on the barracks site could be used for the headquarters Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board needs. A central location is required to provide apprenticeships and the barracks could be used for this purpose. My colleague, Deputy Chambers, spoke earlier about the need to restore the Reserve Defence Force. The Fianna Fáil Party made a submission to the Department during the term of the previous Government setting out how the facility could be used as a national headquarters for the Reserve Defence Force. The site offers many opportunities and great potential but no two Departments will talk to each other because everyone is operating in a silo. The only people for whom this will have negative consequences are those living in Mullingar.

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