Seanad debates

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Army Barracks Closures: Motion

 

6:00 pm

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I support this motion. It was well presented by Senator Wilson. It is important to note there was some pruning done in the past of barracks and like any fruit tree, it was important some pruning was done; it was appropriate and acceptable. This further attempt to close several barracks, however, will kill the fruit tree. It is a slash and grab effort and it is deplorable because it was not too long ago when some of the Members now in the other House who were on this side of the Seanad fiercely condemned the closure of certain barracks.

About four months ago, the Minister for Defence came to the House on the defence Bill that dealt with the appointment of a military judge, an issue about which I had a particular view. At that stage he indicated that it was an urgent matter and there was a backlog of courts martial and hearings in the military court and a judge had to be appointed. We are still waiting for that appointment to be made.

The appointment of a military court judge could be well dealt with by the secondment of a Circuit Court judge for two or three weeks. Many of the cases are technical and could be dealt with in that timeframe by a Circuit Court judge on secondment. The legislation to deal with the appointment of a military judge would cost €350,000 per annum. Any of these barracks could be kept open for that amount.

If the barracks are closed, the saving to the Exchequer is negligible. It is not cost-effective to do this and it serves no purpose. We talk about supporting the Defence Forces but no other party in this House has a greater respect and affinity with the Defence Forces since the foundation of the State than Fianna Fáil. I do not want to go into historical episodes where a certain party had a great distrust of Óglaigh na hÉireann. I was proud to serve for many years in my young days in the LDF as a support for the Army at the time and I was glad to play my little part.

The Government is trying to convey the idea that the closures will bring about huge savings and are necessitated by the economic crisis. Certain events happened. Some were of an international nature and outside the control of the previous Government or anyone else. The medicine prescribed by the outgoing Government in its last budget is the same as that being applied by the current Government. We should not be lectured as to where things did or did not go wrong.

The proposal to close these barracks is short-sighted. The Government is being penny wise and pound foolish. Savings over the next five or seven years will be so negligible that this decision will come back to haunt the Government. The attempt to close barracks, whether Dún Uí Néill in Cavan, Columb Barracks in Mullingar or Stephens Barracks in Kilkenny, and to dress the closures up like a wolf in lamb's clothing will not go down well with the public, or with the people of Cavan, Mullingar or Kilkenny.

I am glad to lend my support to this motion. I believe the Minister for Defence is disingenuous, as he has been in the past. The issue of the appointment of a military judge was another red herring. We are going down a dangerous and unnecessary road. I ask Senators on the Government side to vote for the motion and save embarrassment.

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