Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)

I join Senator Ó Murchú in requesting the Leader to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, to the House today to obtain clarification on the strong rumours that have been circulating, not only today but also for the past three months, in regard to four barracks, three in particular. One is in Castlebar, which is basically a store. I assume it is being closed to make the Taoiseach look good in that he will appear to have sacrificed a barracks in his own county. The other three barracks are in Clonmel, Mullingar and Cavan town, my county town.

The decision to close the barracks involves 700 personnel, as the Army would refer to them. These are 700 human beings, men and women, who have served this country well both at home and abroad. The closures involve their families, wives, husbands, partners and children. The decisions involve the communities the barracks have served since the foundation of the State. They involve the economies of the towns in which the barracks are based and the surrounding areas. Senator Ó Murchú has alluded to this. If the barracks in Cavan is closed, it will cost the local economy €3 million annually. In respect of the other two towns involved, it will cost in the region of €15 million. It will cost more than €30 million to re-accommodate these people. This does not make economic sense nor does it make any sense from a security point of view. The barracks in Cavan is the first and only purpose-built barracks since the foundation of the State. It accommodates 140 personnel and 100 reservists. The only barracks between south-west Donegal and Dundalk is now on the cards for closure. I accepted the Minister's bona fides when he stated in response to an Adjournment matter I tabled several weeks ago that no decision had then been made. However, while he may not have brought a decision to the Cabinet, a decision has been made by the overpaid bureaucrats in the Army. One fewer bureaucrat would keep the Army barracks in Cavan open for one year. We have the most officer heavy Army in the world, with one officer per six soldiers. That is a fact.