Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The new gym at the old tank building is progressing well and we are basically down to procurement timelines. Investment will not be an issue and the gym will happen. There are also, as I said, significant accommodation projects. The refurbishment of the block 9 office facility, for example, commenced in August of this year. Once refurbishment works have been completed on this proposed structure, block 9 will provide a mixed-unit office facility that will allow consolidation of the Naval Service, support command headquarters and staff in the naval headquarters into one building. That will deal with the shortage of office accommodation at the naval base and allow us to relocate personnel from temporary buildings and so forth.

The master plan will outline what we intend to do for the next 20 years, but anyone who visits Haulbowline today will see the extent of the work that is under way. The gyms are very important. I have been to other facilities where the gyms make a significant difference to morale, training, physical fitness and so on, and we want first-class gym facilities in all our installations.

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