Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 431: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will publish the feasibility study and all other information that was used in the decision to close Kickham Barracks, Clonmel, County Tipperary; if he will publish all information in relation to the cost of running the barracks in Clonmel and all of the information in relation to the costs of accommodating the troops from Clonmel in Limerick; the amount spent on the upgrading of Kickham Barracks in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37259/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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As I have said previously annual savings in respect of utilities, security duty allowances and maintenance amount to approximately €1.3 million per annum in respect of the four barracks that are being closed. In relation to Kickham Barracks, Clonmel these savings amount to approximately €0.42m based on the most recent figures available. In addition to the cost of utilities each barracks requires a security detail and additional further personnel are tied up on purely administrative duties connected to the management of the particular barracks. Because maintaining barrack security can require around the clock cover, a much larger pool of personnel is required. Therefore, several hundred additional man years will become available for operational duties.

At a minimum, the value of this efficiency gain across the four locations will exceed €5 million per year. The consolidation of the Defence Forces formations into a smaller number of locations is a key objective in the ongoing defence modernisation programme and has been recommended in many reports over the past number of years. This was a key consideration of Government in addressing this issue as releasing personnel from security and support functions enables the operational capacity of the Defence Forces to be maintained.

There are no plans for providing extra accommodation in Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick, however it is expected that there will be a requirement for the provision of additional locker facilities at an estimated cost of €50,000. In the last ten years approximately €3.8m has been spent on maintenance and refurbishment works and includes the procurement of professional, technical services in connection with building and engineering projects at Kickham Barracks.

Since the announcement of the Government decision on barrack closures my Department has written to each Government Department and various agencies and local authorities seeking expressions of interest in acquiring any of the properties to benefit the local community as a whole but with particular emphasis on job creation measures.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 432: To ask the Minister for Defence the reason the brigadier general was not on hand to inform the troops of Kickham Barracks, County Tipperary, of the decision to close the barracks; the reason it was reported by the Army press office that he was away on official military duty when he was pictured at an Ireland match a number of hours later; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37260/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Military Authorities have informed me that the General Officer Commanding the 1st Southern Brigade was away from the Brigade on official military duty when the announcement on the consolidation of Defence Forces barracks was made by the Government. In the absence of the General Officer Commanding, and in order to ensure that the information concerning the closure of Kickham Barracks was delivered directly to the personnel affected, the Second-In-Command of the 1st Southern Brigade travelled to Clonmel at the earliest opportunity on the day the closure of the Barracks was announced and addressed personnel on the matter.

I am advised by the military authorities that the following day, the General Officer Commanding spoke to the personnel from Kickham Barracks deploying overseas prior to their deployment. I am also informed that, since then, he has also conducted comprehensive briefings with all personnel stationed at Kickham Barracks who will be impacted by the decision to close the Barracks. I am aware of the General Officer Commanding the 1st Southern Brigade's attendance at a football match much later that night. However, this does not obviate the fact that, on the day in question, he was away from the Brigade on official duties which were entirely unconnected with the football match.