Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans for the remaining residential properties owned by his Department in Orchard Park, Curragh; if he plans to hand over the estate to Kildare County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24607/21]

Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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My question is in respect of Orchard Park, which is the residential estate in the Curragh Camp which is currently being run and managed by the Department of Defence. There are a number of vacant homes in that estate. I would be grateful to hear the Minister's thoughts on what the plans are for those vacant homes and is he minded to hand over the estate to Kildare County Council?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy and I am aware that he knows this space very well. The Deputy will be aware that it has been a long-standing policy to discontinue the historic provision of tied housing to Defence Forces' personnel. This policy, introduced in the late 1990s, has been implemented on a gradual basis, sympathetic to the needs of those occupying these former married quarters and, in particular, those persons who may be vulnerable. It is not intended to reverse this long-standing policy and, as such, I can confirm to the Deputy that it is my Department's policy to transfer ownership of properties to the housing authority, in this case Kildare County Council, at the earliest opportunity subject, of course, to its agreement.

The Deputy may wish to note that my Department transferred two residential properties that were vacant in 2019 to Kildare County Council. It is intended to make a similar offer to the housing authority in due course.

As to the handing over of the estate to Kildare County Council, it would be my Department's preference that the local authority take the same in charge. However, this is a matter for the county council in the first instance.

Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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I thank the Minister for that excellent and very useful update, which is most helpful. From a broader perspective, the Curragh Camp, as we both know, is an excellent place full of wonderful people but dereliction is a major issue in the camp on foot of decades of neglect. It is quite an old Victorian camp. To be fair to the Department of Defence, it has a finite budget. There is only so much that it can spend in the camp every single year.

What are the Minister's thoughts on mobilising the broader Government to assist in regenerating that facility? For instance, the Office of Public Works has a budget and the Department of Higher and Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science has a budget that could be used for the Military College. The Department of Education could help out with the three schools in the Curragh, and the Department of Rural and Community Development could help out with a rural and town centre regeneration scheme. The question therefore is should we be looking at a broader approach to addressing the dereliction and infrastructure deficits in the Curragh? I thank the House.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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That is a very interesting question. The answer is basically "Yes". I have already had a conversation on this with the Minister, Deputy Harris, in the context of the plans that we have around the concept of an international peace and leadership institute as part of the broader Curragh campus, which would be an investment and an expansion in many ways of the Military College and the education and work that goes on there.

First, we have an increasing capital investment programme. The capital investment for this year in the budget is €130 million but this capital investment should be well beyond that and we will be able to supplement some of the existing expenditure from current expenditure surpluses that we will have. There is a broader question here, however, as the Deputy has asked whether we can look at the Curragh in a more holistic way to try to build a community there and deal with some of the dereliction on site.

I have walked through the Curragh Camp. There is too much dereliction even though there is investment going on. I hope to be able to put a more ambitious and broader thinking plan in place with other Ministers.

Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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I am regularly asked on what I would spend the extra funding if the defence budget were increased. The budget negotiations will be coming up in the next few months and I ask the Minister to advocate as strongly as possible to his Cabinet colleagues - I know he does so - that if the defence budget was increased, there would be more money available for infrastructural projects and to invest in the Curragh Camp in particular, which is the home of the Defence Forces. Nearly every member of the Defence Forces passes through the Curragh at some stage in their careers. It is where all the career courses take place. Investment in its infrastructure would certainly make a significant difference.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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First, the defence budgets are increasing and have increased again this year on last year. Second, we are investing in the Curragh. I am sure many people would like me to accelerate that further and to spend more but we have invested and are continuing to invest in multiple projects in the Curragh. I will continue to advocate for increased budgets in defence. I think that is justified. We have a five-year capital investment programme already in place which commits to the expenditure of an enormous amount of money across all elements of defence infrastructure, whether it is the Air Corps, Naval Service or Army, in various camps and barracks and in terms of upgrading equipment, whether that is aircraft, refurbished Mowag vehicles or whatever. My job is to make sure that we invest appropriately in the Defence Forces in terms of infrastructure, equipment and human resources. We will do so. I recognise that the Curragh is the centre of operations and I am currently considering certain flagship projects in the Curragh.