Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Defence the current number of Army overholders; the extent to which he has had discussions with his colleagues regarding the provision of permanent housing in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17733/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Personnel on being discharged from the Permanent Defence Force are obliged to vacate married quarters within a short period of the dates of their discharge. The provision of housing is primarily a matter for the local authorities and married personnel have an equal claim on such housing as other members of the community in the same income category.

Some 54 of those overholding married quarters at the time — 51 at the Curragh, two at McKee Park, Dublin 7, and one at Arbour Hill, Dublin 7 — were written to in August 2002 and requested to vacate the properties. In the Curragh, eight of the quarters have been vacated to date and three others have been purchased by the occupants. A further eight of the properties have been offered for sale and a number of those sales are likely to be finalised in the near future. The three properties in Dublin have also been offered for sale to the occupants.

In addition, the sale to the occupants of ten quarters overheld at Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin, is under examination. My Department is continuing to examine all options, including affordable housing and voluntary and co-operative housing schemes, regarding the rehousing of those overholders who would in the normal way be eligible for local authority housing. The Department remains in contact with the overholders pending resolution of the issue.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has satisfied himself regarding the quality of residential quarters for the military; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17734/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The refurbishment of residential accommodation is an integral part of my Department's ongoing building programme. Major contracts to improve the standard of accommodation have been placed over the past number of years as part of an ongoing investment programme within the Defence Forces.

In the period 2003 to date, major accommodation upgrades have taken place in McKee and Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin; Coolmoney Camp, Wicklow; Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick; Kickham Barracks, Clonmel; Naval Base, Haulbowline; Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel; Kilworth Camp, Cork; Custume Barracks, Athlone; and Dún Uí Mhaoilísa, Galway.

Further accommodation upgrades will commence later this year in the Defence Forces training centre in the Curragh; Custume Barracks, Athlone; Finner Camp, Donegal; and Dún Uí Mhaoilísa, Galway. I am fully committed to the ongoing development of accommodation facilities throughout the Defence Forces. Improvements will continue to be carried out until all accommodation has been modernised.