Written answers

Thursday, 1 February 2007

Department of Defence

Military Installations

5:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which the military installations decommissioned in 1998 have to date been disposed of; the total receipts from same; the costs incurred in the interim; the proposals in respect of the balance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3281/07]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie 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 Islandbridge, 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 and the sale of a further site comprising c.1.7 acres to the HSE South for a consideration of €1.1 million approximately is nearing completion. A half acre site is being transferred to the Office of Public Works (OPW) for a consideration of €1.45 million to facilitate extension of the existing Garda Station located on Main Street, Ballincollig. It was agreed at the time of the closure and sale of Murphy Barracks that an area comprising approximately 27 acres of the property would be transferred to Cork County Council for community use. The legal formalities in regard to the transfer of this area are being progressed in consultation with the Chief State Solicitor's Office.

19.218 acres at the former Fitzgerald Camp, Fermoy, was sold to Cork County Council in 2001 for €0.974 million for economic development of the site 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 value of sales/disposals completed to date, in respect of the six barracks the subject of the July 1998 Government decision is in the region of €80 million

The Government decided on 1st July 2003 that Magee Barracks, Kildare, would be among the State lands released for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress Affordable Housing Initiative. How land at this location 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 this location are being progressed in consultation with that Department and the Chief State Solicitor's Office.

The security, maintenance, consultancy and other costs in respect of those Barracks identified for closure in 1998 are as follows:

SecurityMaintenance & Other Costs
Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig #1,120,604257,113*
Fitzgerald Camp, Fermoy #330,81342,633
Castleblayney Military Post #131,28910,548
Devoy Barracks, Naas #472,65416,959
Magee Barracks, Kildare183,94115,677
Clancy Barracks, Dublin #649,441203,089
# Now sold or no longer in the administration of my Department (no further costs will be incurred by the Department of Defence).
* Includes costs relating to the preparation of an Integrated Area Action Plan.

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