Written answers

Thursday, 29 September 2005

Department of Defence

Defence Forces Property

5:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Defence the position regarding future housing prospects for Army overholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26117/05]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie 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, nine 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, in relation to the re-housing 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.

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