Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Defence if any lands owned by his Department are in the process of being sold; if he envisages any land being sold in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8524/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Defence has identified 33 properties for disposal. The properties are dispersed throughout the country. Their disposal will take account of market conditions to maximise the return to the Defence Forces and generate funding for reinvestment in equipment and infrastructure. The properties include married quarters located outside barracks, lands that are considered surplus to military requirements, vacated barracks and smaller properties that have no further military use. Agreement has been reached with regard to 25 properties or parts of larger properties. The remainder will be brought to the market as current sales are finalised. The property portfolio is being kept under review. The Department may seek to dispose of further properties in addition to the 33 that have already been identified. A recent value for money review on military training lands has identified some properties that should be considered for disposal. The Department is looking at these properties with a view to preparing them for disposal.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Can the Minister tell the House how much money was raised when the properties in question were disposed of? Is it intended that the money will be ring-fenced for defence purposes? If so, has the Minister received a commitment from the Minister for Finance to that effect? Are any of the eight remaining properties that will go to the market suitable for use by local authorities that are keen to improve local facilities such as housing? Open spaces could be used to develop community facilities, for example. Is it possible to get some information on the eight remaining properties that it is hoped will be brought to the market?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Agreement has been reached to sell 11 married quarters that are situated outside barracks to the occupants of those properties. Three areas of land in Kildare and two at Kilworth, County Cork, are to be disposed of to the National Roads Authority. Six properties in Kilworth, Lifford and Rockhill are being disposed of, partly to local authorities and partly to the Department of Education and Skills. Parts of the sites at Oranmore, County Galway, and Knockalisheen in Limerick are to be disposed of to other Departments or State agencies. Five other plots - two at Knockalisheen in Limerick and three at Fermoy - are to be sold to the occupiers, which are sporting organisations or have leases on the properties concerned. The Department expects to dispose of these properties for a total of approximately €5.1 million. These sales are currently with the Department's legal advisers, who are conducting the necessary conveyancing of the properties in the normal legal format. The proceeds of these sales will be reinvested in the Defence Forces. At this time of financial difficulty, it is particularly important to use such funds for the benefit of the Defence Forces. If other properties are surplus to requirements, I expect that any moneys accrued from their disposal will be similarly reinvested. I can put the details of the prices that were agreed for the individual properties on the record of the House if the Deputy wishes.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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No.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Perhaps it would take too much time to do so. The full details are available if the Deputy wishes to hear them.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister has said he intends that the €5.1 million will be reinvested in the Department of Defence. Does the Minister for Finance share that view? Has he given the Minister a commitment that this money will be ring-fenced? We are familiar with other cases in which we wanted money to be ring-fenced for use in our communities, but that did not happen. I refer to the case of the Criminal Assets Bureau, for example. The Minister's opinion and analysis of the matter is grand as long as the Department of Finance agrees with it.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I understand there is no difficulty about that.