Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Defence his future plans for retaining the Army presence in Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16865/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Various commissions, reports and studies back to the 1990s identified barrack closure as a fundamental requirement towards improving military effectiveness and efficiency. The dispersal of Defence Forces personnel over an extended number of locations is a major impediment to essential collective training and the consolidation process is designed to facilitate higher training standards, while also freeing up under-utilised resources and personnel for operational duties. In addition, the funding realised from the disposal of surplus barracks and properties provides some of the resources required for infrastructure, training-area development and equipment procurement.

The Defence property portfolio is kept under review to ensure the most effective use of military resources having regard to the roles assigned by Government to the Defence Forces. In that context the dispersal of personnel over an extended number of locations is a major impediment to effectiveness and also 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 for me as we strive to maximise the effectiveness of the Defence Forces.

Whilst no decision has been made in relation to the future of any particular military installation I cannot give a commitment that there will not be further programmes of barrack consolidation or that any particular location will be excluded.