Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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4. To ask the Minister for Defence with regard to the closure in 2009 of Connolly Barracks in County Longford and O'Neill Barracks in County Cavan and Columb Barracks in Mullingar, County Westmeath in 2012, if he will provide details of the units and sub-units at the three barracks that were relocated to Custume Barracks in Athlone, County Roscommon; if he will provide a list, by name of the military units, Permanent Defence Force and Reserve Defence Force, that were headquartered in Custume Barracks after these three relocations up to the disestablishment to the 4th Western Brigade on 30 November 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7075/15]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the closure in 2009 of Connolly Barracks in County Longford and O'Neill Barracks in County Cavan and Columb Barracks in Mullingar, County Westmeath in 2012, will the Minister provide details of the units and sub-units at the three barracks that were relocated to Custume Barracks, Athlone, including a list, by name of the military units, Permanent Defence Force and Reserve Defence Force, headquartered in Custume Barracks following these three relocations, up to the disestablishment of the 4th Western Brigade on 30 November 2012, and the permitted strength under S.I. CS4 on establishment.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am not quite sure what information the Deputy is seeking. However, I provide the details I have before me. The 4 Cavalry Squadron, PDF, and 54 Cavalry Squadron, RDF, relocated from Connolly Barracks in County Longford to Custume Barracks in Athlone on 30 January 2009. On 29 March 2012 A Company 6Infantry Battalion, PDF, relocated from O’Neill Barracks in Cavan to Custume Barracks in Athlone. On 28 March 2012 the 4 Field Artillery Regiment, PDF, at Columb Barracks in Mullingar relocated to Custume Barracks in Athlone. The 54 Field Artillery Regiment, RDF, and the 54 Supply and Transport Company, RDF, at Columb Barracks were both disestablished and replaced with C Company, 6 Infantry Battalion based in Custume Barracks in Athlone.

The following units were based in Custume Barracks in Athlone on 30 November 2012:

Permanent Defence Force Units

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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We witnessed the lack of priority this Government affords the Defence Forces when it took office. For the first time in the history of the State no dedicated full-time Cabinet Minister was appointed. Under a statutory instrument signed by the Minister, the CS4 establishment for Custume Barracks, the permitted number of personnel is 1,440. Can the Minister confirm that figure is correct? Can he confirm that under the same statutory instrument 12 units were established under Custume Barracks, Athlone, following the closure of the barracks in Mullingar, Cavan and Longford? Can he confirm, following the disestablishment of the 4th western brigade, how many personnel are permitted under the new statutory instruments? My information is that there are approximately 580 fewer personnel permitted now than were permitted under the statutory instrument on 30 November 2012.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is incorrect. There was and still is a Minister with responsibility for defence. It was previously Deputy Alan Shatter and now it is me. I do not know what the Deputy is talking about.

Second, effectively the Deputy was asking about the effect of the Defence Forces reorganisation on the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel based in Custume Barracks. The Defence Force reorganisation did not significantly alter the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel serving in Custume Barracks, Athlone. The effect of the reorganisation is that the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel based in Custume Barracks has been established at approximately 1,000 personnel within the overall strength ceiling of 9,500 Permanent Defence Force personnel.

At the time of the reorganisation there was some speculation that the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel serving in Custume Barracks would be reduced by numbers that varied between 400 and 600 personnel. This was based on an incorrect assumption that there were approximately 1,400 personnel permanently based in Custume Barracks at the time. The figure of 1,400 personnel appears to be based on the number of personnel that would have been permanently posted to Custume Barracks if the PDF's strength was at 11,500. This PDF strength level has not been seen since the 1990s. As such, references to personnel figures in the region of 1,400 bear no relationship to the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel who were based in Custume Barracks in recent years.

When the current Government took office in 2011, some 900 Permanent Defence Force personnel were based in Custume Barracks. The figure is significantly higher than that now.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I was referring to a Minister with sole responsibility, and the Minister knows it.

Since this Government came to power there has been a reduction in the number of people in the Defence Forces. We have also seen the disestablishment of the 4th western brigade. Under a statutory instrument the number of personnel permitted within Custume Barracks, Athlone, has been reduced. There were 12 units attached to Custume Barracks, Athlone, before 30 November 2012 and there are now eight units attached. The permitted Defence Force personnel was 1,440 before 30 November 2012 and the permitted personnel number today is 860. There might be other personnel attached on a temporary basis but clearly, under a statutory instrument, and the Minister does not need me to tell him the significance of a statutory instrument, the number of people permitted to Custume Barracks is 860. The units that remain are the 6th infantry battalion, the 2nd field artillery regiment, the 2nd field engineering company and the band. Will the Minister confirm whether that is true or false?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy should check the numbers for the performance of his party when it was in Government in respect of this barracks.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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We did not downgrade it.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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When we took office in 2011 some 900 Permanent Defence Force personnel were based in Custume Barracks. The Deputy can discuss whatever figures he wishes, but that was the fact.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am talking about what the statutory instrument permitted.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am talking about the number of people that were in Custume Barracks. On the announcement of the reorganisation in 2012, the projected Permanent Defence Force strength for Custume Barracks was 971 personnel. There was no reduction to this number following the reorganisation and there continues to be 1,000 Permanent Defence Force personnel in the barracks. Obviously, the figure can vary from time to time because military service involves moving people around. However, the number of people working in the Permanent Defence Forces in Custume Barracks is higher than when the Deputy's party left office. They are the facts, and the Deputy should probably reflect on them.