Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has plans to close any Army barracks or installations during the next two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24047/04]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which military installations closed in 1998 have been disposed of to date; the receipts and the costs associated with closure and disposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24530/04]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 71 together.

The Government, on 15 July 1998, approved a programme of evacuation and sale of six barracks considered surplus to military requirements. The barracks in question were located at Ballincollig, Fermoy, Castleblayney, Naas, Kildare and Clancy Barracks, Dublin.

The sale of approximately 91 acres comprising Lot 1, Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, to O'Flynn Construction for €41 million and the sale of Lot 2 to the sitting tenant for €1.05 million — my Department's reversionary interest in approximately 6.2 acres of the barracks lands — was completed in 2003. A further area comprising more than 27 acres at Murphy Barracks is being handed over to Cork County Council for community use. Agreements have also been reached for the sale of a site, comprising circa 2.7 acres, to the Southern Health Board and a further plot of circa 1.7 acres to the Department of Education and Science. Receipts in excess of €2.8 million will accrue to my Department in respect of those disposals.

An area comprising circa 0.545 of an acre has been set aside on foot of a request from the Office of Public Works, OPW, for a plot of ground to facilitate extension of the existing Garda station located on Main Street, Ballincollig. My Department is in correspondence with the OPW on arrangements for transfer of the lands concerned, including the matter of a consideration therefor. A total of 19.218 acres at the former Fitzgerald Camp, Fermoy, were sold to Cork County Council in 2001 for €973,889 for development in conjunction with the IDA. Castleblayney military post, County Monaghan, comprising circa ten acres, was sold to the North Eastern Health Board for €761,843 in 2002.

Seven acres at Devoy Barracks, Naas, County Kildare, were ceded free of charge to Naas Urban District Council, while a further 14 acres were sold to that authority for €8,888,167. The balance of the barracks lands — one acre — was sold to Kildare County Council for €380,921 in 2002. The sale of Clancy Barracks, Dublin, comprising 13.65 acres approximately, to Florence Properties Limited for €25.4 million was completed earlier this year.

The Government decided in July 2003 that Magee Barracks, Kildare, and Gormanston Camp, County Meath, would be among the State lands released for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative. The modalities of the transfer of these properties, as well as sites at St. Bricin's Hospital, Dublin, and at Collins Barracks, Cork, to the relevant local authorities are under active consideration in consultation with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Chief State Solicitor's Office. The disposal of a number of other minor surplus properties owned by my Department has also been completed during this period.

There are no plans to close any further barracks. The Department's property portfolio is, however, kept under continual review and any properties surplus to military requirements will be disposed of to fund much needed investment to meet the equipment and infrastructure needs of the Defence Forces. The security, maintenance, consultancy and other costs to date in respect of those barracks identified for closure in 1998 are as shown in the table.