Written answers

Tuesday, 28 March 2006

11:00 pm

Photo of Billy TimminsBilly Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 506: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to sell Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12114/06]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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There are no plans for the sale of Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin. The Deputy will be aware that 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 Islandbridge, Dublin.

The sale of approximately 97 acres at Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, was completed in 2003 for a total of €42 million. The bulk of the lands were purchased by O'Flynn Construction. The sale of a site comprising circa 2.7 acres to the HSE for €1.73 million was completed in December last. It was agreed at the time that an area comprising approximately 27 acres at Murphy Barracks would be transferred to Cork County Council for community use and the legal formalities in this regard are progressing. A site of half 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 an extension of the existing Garda station located on Main Street, Ballincollig. 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 IDA Ireland. Castleblayney Military Post, County Monaghan, comprising circa ten acres, was sold to the former North Eastern Health Board for €761,843 in 2002.

A total of seven acres at Devoy Barracks, Naas, was 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. Clancy Barracks, Islandbridge, Dublin, comprising approximately 13.65 acres, was sold to Florence Properties Limited for €25.4 million in 2004.

The Government decided on 1 July 2003 that Magee Barracks, Kildare, would be among the State lands released for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative. This initiative is being targeted at those who in the past would have expected to purchase a house from their own resources but find that they are unable to do so in the current market. There are no plans to close 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.

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