Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Defence if he plans to bring forward a detailed feasibility study in regard to the disposal of Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin and the re-location of personnel stationed there to other sites within the Defence Forces portfolio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42184/09]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Defence property portfolio is kept under ongoing review by my Department to ensure the most effective use of military resources having regard to the roles assigned by Government to the Defence Forces. This includes ongoing review of the organisation, structure and formation of the forces and the consequential requirement for military barracks and other properties. The funding realised from the disposal of surplus property together with pay savings has provided resources for the modernisation of the Defence Forces and has been invested in new infrastructure, equipment and training area development. Any further properties that are considered surplus to military requirements will continue to be disposed of and the funding invested to meet the current and future equipment and infrastructure needs of the Defence Forces.

The question concerning the future of Cathal Brugha Barracks, along with the issue of any further consolidation across the Defence Forces as a whole, will be among the issues to be considered in the context of the Estimates process having regard to the report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes. Cathal Brugha Barracks is a very significant military installation with a wide range of facilities, accommodation and storage depots and would be costly to replace. This will need to be factored into our consideration, particularly in the current financial situation. Consideration will also need to be given to the operational requirements of the Defence Forces and where personnel would be relocated.

The recommendations in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes and the decisions on all of the issues arising will be a matter for the Government in the context of the Estimates and budgetary process. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage pending the outcome of these deliberative processes.

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the defence property portfolio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42186/09]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Defence property portfolio consists of a diverse range of facilities from conventional military barracks to forts, camps, dwelling houses and training lands. The principal assets are 23 permanently occupied barracks. The Department also owns 26 premises that are used by the Reserve Defence Forces. A further 51 properties are rented for use by the Reserve. The property portfolio also includes a total of 150 married quarters that are mainly located within the Curragh Camp. The policy is that these should be phased out in a managed and orderly way. The land included in the property portfolio amounts to approximately 20,000 acres, predominantly located at the Curragh, the Glen of Imaal and Kilworth Camp, and is used for military training. Details of all properties owned or rented by the Department are contained in the attached tabular statement.

The modernisation process in Defence identified that the dispersal of personnel over an extended number of locations is a major impediment to essential collective training and imposes increased and unnecessary overheads on the Defence Forces in terms of barrack management, administration, maintenance and security. The consolidation of the Defence Forces formations into a smaller number of locations is a key objective of the White Paper on Defence. The Department and the Defence Forces continually review Defence Forces requirements in relation to barracks, infrastructure and other military installations. A total of ten barracks have been closed over the past 10 years.

A comprehensive VFM review of military training lands and firing ranges is due to be concluded shortly. I understand that the consultants report will identify opportunities for further consolidation and rationalisation of training land requirements, while pointing to additional requirements in some areas. The report of the consultants will inform the future development of defence training lands and range infrastructure. As is the case in other areas of the defence portfolio, those lands that are surplus to requirements will be disposed of for the benefit of the Defence Forces.