Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Defence his Department's lands disposed of by the Government in each of the past ten years, the value of each disposal; the purpose for which the proceeds were used; if further lands have been identified for disposal; his views on investing the proceeds of Defence Force lands in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38188/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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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 97 acres approximately 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 c. 2.7 acres to the Southern Health Board for €1.73 million was completed in December 2004. 19.218 acres at the former Fitzgerald Camp, Fermoy, were sold to Cork County Council in 2001 for €0.974 million for development in conjunction with the IDA.

Castleblayney Military Post, Co. Monaghan, comprising c. 10 acres, was sold to the North Eastern Health Board for €0.762 million in 2002. 7 acres at Devoy Barracks, Naas, Co. Kildare, were ceded free of charge to Naas Urban District Council, while a further 14 acres were sold to that authority for €8.888 million. The balance of the Barracks lands — one acre — was sold to Kildare County Council for €0.381 million in 2002. Clancy Barracks, Dublin, comprising 13.65 acres approximately, was sold to Florence Properties Ltd. for €25.4 million in 2004.

The Government agreed on 16 December 2003 to the release of circa 2.5 acres at St. Bricin's Military Hospital, Dublin for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress Affordable Housing Initiative. The site was recently transferred to Dublin City Council as specified by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for a nominal consideration.

Details of additional military property which was surplus to requirements and which was disposed of since 1997 are as follows:- 6.39 acres, known as "Susan's Field", adjoining Collins Barracks, Cork, was sold to Cork City Council for €1.523 million in 2002; circa 3.4 acres at Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick, was disposed of to Limerick City Council for €1.162 million in 2002/2003; a site comprising circa 0.931 acre, adjacent to my Department's RDF premises in Kanturk, Co. Cork, was disposed of to the Southern Health Board for a consideration of €0.178 million in 2003; approximately 1.559 acres at Waterford Barracks was sold to Waterford City Council for €0.662 million in 2003; the sale by public tender of Belmont Huts, Cobh, Co. Cork, comprising c. 2.89 acres, to a Wexford based partnership for €2.4 million, was completed during 2004; Spike Island, Co. Cork, was sold to the Department of Justice for €0.065 million in 2004; Custume House, Athlone was sold to the Organisation of National Ex-servicemen and women Teoranta for €0.254 million in 2005; In addition, in excess of 100 married quarters, which were located outside of barracks, have been disposed of, realising an income of over €4 million.

A number of minor properties were also disposed of during the period in question. In addition, from time to time land at various locations has been dedicated to local authorities to allow for projects such as road widening or realignment schemes. The sale of c. 1.7 acres at the former Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, to the HSE-South and the transfer of 27 acres at the property to Cork County Council are being progressed at present. A half acre site at the former Barracks has also been reserved for sale to the Office of Public Works, to facilitate extension of Ballincollig Garda Station. The legal formalities for the definitive disposal of Fort Camden, Crosshaven, Co. Cork, to Cork County Council are nearing conclusion.

Agreement has recently been reached with Cork City Council for the sale of part of the Camp Field, Collins Barracks to that Authority. The Government decided that lands at Magee Barracks, Kildare, and Gormanston Camp, Co. Meath, as well as sites at St. Bricin's Hospital, Dublin and Collins Barracks, Cork, would be among the State lands released for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress Affordable Housing Initiative. As I have mentioned above, the site at St. Bricin's Hospital has already been transferred to Dublin City Council. How land at the remaining locations might play a role in the delivery of affordable housing units is a matter in the first instance for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which is the lead Department for the development of the Affordable Housing Initiative. The legal formalities relating to the transfer of lands at these locations under the Affordable Housing Initiative are being progressed in consultation with that Department and the Chief State Solicitor's Office.

Further disposals in progress include: c.1.07 acres at Arbour Hill, Dublin to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Town Hall, Ballyconnell to Cavan County Council; c. 20 acres of the Curragh lands to Kildare County Council in connection with the construction of the Kildare By-pass; and c. 10 acres of land at Renmore, Galway to Galway City Council.

In accordance with the Government's commitment under the White Paper on Defence the funding realised from the sale of properties has been used for an ongoing equipment and infrastructure modernisation programme. This programme has ensured that the Defence Forces are fully equipped with the most modern of equipment for their day-to-day roles, both at home and on overseas missions.

It is the policy of my Department to dispose of properties that are surplus to military requirements. In this regard the property portfolio is kept under on-going review and any properties deemed surplus to military requirements will be disposed of to fund much needed investment, to meet the equipment and infrastructure needs of the Defence Forces.