Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his answer. This really comes down to the housing crisis. I grew up with a lot of people who went on to serve in the armed forces. McKee Barracks is right beside where I grew up. There is great pride among people who want to serve. I know several people who served, who then came out of the Defence Forces and into the private sector and who are now trying to get back in.

Last week, through a parliamentary question I submitted, it was revealed that 70% of Defence Forces accommodation remains idle with nobody living within it. That is despite the fact that one of the big reasons that people are removing themselves from the Defence Forces is that they cannot afford rent and they do not have the capacity to earn enough to get a mortgage. If we are to improve morale and look at the basic necessities that all people, including members of our Defence Forces, need, we need to look at issues such as Defence Forces accommodation. The Tánaiste has done fantastic work in restoring access to medical care for Defence Forces personnel. That is really important. Can we now look at housing? Can we get Defence Forces accommodation back into circulation? Some of the housing we have at our disposal at the moment - I believe 120 houses are lying idle - would go some way towards improving morale.

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