Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister for Defence, Deputy Alan Shatter.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I also welcome the Minister who is one of the few Ministers who personally attends this Chamber to deal with issues relating to his Justice or Defence briefs.

In 1990 the Army moved from the longest occupied barracks in Europe to the new purpose-built Dún Uí Néill Barracks in Cavan town. These are the only barracks to be purpose-built and designed by the Defence Forces since the foundation of the State and are in an important geographic location along the border with Northern Ireland. In recent weeks rumours have been circulating that this strategic base is being considered for closure by the Government. This cannot be allowed to happen. Dún Uí Néill barracks is the most economic in the country, costing less than €200,000 per year to run, which includes maintenance, utilities, electricity, heating and transport fuel.

As well as serving the State as an aid to civil power, the Army based in Cavan has shown great commitment to the community it lives among. Its state-of-the-art gymnasium and other sporting facilities are regularly used by county teams as well as other local football and sports clubs. Senior citizens are facilitated regularly as well as at Christmas time each year. The local Youthreach project participates in a two week training programme during the summer months. The Army also assists groups in fund-raising and facilitates weekly church services. The support it gave to the local emergency services during the bad weather of recent winters was immeasurable.

Some 120 soldiers from A Company 6th Battalion of the western command currently occupy the barracks. This number can increase from time to time as the barracks is regularly used as a training facility. If needed it can accommodate up to 300 personnel at any given time. The Reserve Defence Force plays an important role in supporting the regular Army in this country and there is a full-time company of 120 men and women in the force in Cavan.

To close Dun Uí Néill makes no sense. The impact such a closure would have on the soldiers, their families and the community of Cavan, not to mention the €3 million that would be lost to the economy of Cavan, would be immeasurable. This cannot be allowed to happen and I look forward to a favourable reply in this regard.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Wilson for raising this matter on the Adjournment. As of now, no decision has been made by the Government on the future of Cavan barracks or any other military installation. The issue of the closure of barracks no longer required for operational reasons to effect necessary savings will, however, be considered shortly by Government.

Various commissions, reports and studies back to the 1990s identified barrack closures as a fundamental requirement towards improving military effectiveness and efficiency. Since then there have been a number of consolidation programmes which have seen the number of barracks occupied by the Permanent Defence Force reduced from 34 to 18 today. Since 1998 a total of ten barracks have been closed under the two barrack consolidation programmes. A total of €84.98 million has been realised from the disposal of seven barracks and while three remain the property of the Department of Defence, agreement in principle has been reached to dispose of two of these. The moneys received from the sales of such properties have returned to the defence Vote as appropriations-in-aid, and these increased levels of appropriations-in-aid have allowed the retention of funding levels for investment in equipment and infrastructure for the Defence Forces over recent years as well as saving substantial sums of taxpayers' money.

Some of the major programmes include the acquisition of light tactical armoured vehicles, MOWAG armoured personnel carriers, two EC135 helicopters, six AW139 helicopters and two new offshore patrol vessels. This approach is in line with the 2000 White Paper on Defence and a Government decision of 29 February 2000 which, inter alia, approved "The allocation of 100% of the revenue arising from the sale of property surplus to military requirements, for investment in equipment and infrastructure for the Defence Forces."

Notwithstanding the progress made to date, the dispersal of Defence Force personnel over an extended number of locations continues to be a major impediment to essential collective training and to releasing personnel for operational duties. It also imposes unnecessary increased overheads on the Defence Forces in terms of barrack management, administration, maintenance and security. The consolidation of the Defence Forces formations into a smaller number of locations is a key objective of the ongoing defence modernisation programme to maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of the Defence Forces.

As is the case with all Departments, my Department has been actively reviewing all areas of expenditure for which it is responsible to ensure the maximum benefit in the public interest from the use of resources. This is a key element in the context of the comprehensive review of expenditure in which the Government is engaged. My Department has submitted its report as part of that process. This report sets out in clear terms the options available to Government with regard to defence funding. The outcome of the comprehensive review of expenditure will determine the future resource envelope available for defence.

I wish to ensure that all decisions made and resources utilised are focused on maximising the capability of the Defence Forces and ensuring their continued operational excellence. I am also anxious to ensure, in so far as is possible, that the Government is not compelled by fiscal and budgetary constraints to effect any substantial reduction in the current number of personnel in the Defence Forces which stands at just over 9,500. It is crucial that our Defence Forces retain their existing operational capacity and capabilities and operate within the maximum financial efficiencies both in the interest of taxpayers and to facilitate our meeting our obligations to the EU and IMF to contain and reduce public expenditure. It is this which will inform decisions yet to be made by Government.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. Cavan is a strategic base and is vital to the security of the State. Its geographical location is very important. Deputy Smith, Councillor Patricia Walsh and I met representatives of PDFORRA last Friday evening. There is great concern among the 120 personnel based in Dún Uí Néill and the 22 personnel currently serving in the Lebanon who are based in Cavan. It is important that the Minister takes into consideration these families as well as the strategic location of the barracks and its importance to the security of the State. To relocate 120 soldiers to Athlone, Dundalk or Dublin will necessitate huge additional expenditure in terms of providing accommodation. If the object of the exercise is to save money, I hope the Minister will examine the issue very carefully. No saving will be realised by closing the barracks, not to mention endangering the security of our State.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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In determining what decisions should be made in this area I will pay very careful regard to the views of the military authorities and to what they say to me about security issues. The security issues with regard to the location of barracks are very much something to be assessed based on the expertise of our Defence Forces, and I must listen carefully to what they say to me. I am very conscious that any further consolidation of barracks is a cause for concern and will cause inconvenience and disruption for members of the Defence Forces located in the barracks.

The Senator's party presided over the closure of ten barracks in different parts of the country. The closures undoubtedly were disruptive from the perspective of those members of the Defence Forces affected. Sadly, the legacy we have inherited as a Government, the financial and fiscal constraints imposed on the State by outside forces and the excessive level of our public expenditure can only be addressed by making difficult and uncomfortable decisions that in different financial circumstances would not be necessary.

I must have regard to the prevailing reality with which I am confronted in the very difficult decisions that need to be made, while also appreciating the fact that such decisions are disruptive for people. I also have to do it having regard to what is in the ultimate and final interest of maintaining our Defence Forces. My concern is to ensure that I have available to me the funding, as best I can secure it, to maintain our Defence Forces at the current level of 9,500, which is the level they were at in the 1970s. In the context of the Department of Defence I have to contribute to the financial savings that we are required to secure for the year commencing 2012 when there must be a reduction of between €3.6 billion and €4 billion in public expenditure. The tragic and sad reality is that no Department or area of expenditure is immune in this context and I hope it is something the Senator would understand in the context of any decisions that may be made with regard to barracks, should any such decision affect the barracks in Cavan.