Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of over-holders currently in situ at his Department's properties at the Curragh Camp, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3081/15]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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100. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of warning notices or notices to quit that have issued to over-holders at the Curragh Camp, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3082/15]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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101. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of repossession orders that have been sought in respect of over-holders at the Curragh Camp, County Kildare; if all orders sought have been granted; if they have been granted, the number that have been executed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3083/15]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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102. To ask the Minister for Defence the contact his Department has had with Kildare County Council regarding the housing needs of over-holders at the Curragh Camp, County Kildare; the actions which the council proposes to take in respect of over-holders; the advice his Department has received from the council in respect of the accommodation needs of over-holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3084/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 to 102, inclusive, together.

When serving personnel leave the Defence Forces, or otherwise vacate a married quarter property that had been assigned to them, they are required under military regulations to return vacant possession of that property.

Over the years, the vast majority of serving personnel have returned vacant possession of married quarter properties when required to do so. Those who fail to return vacant possession of such properties are termed “overholders” and the Department seeks to recover possession from this group. Where married quarter properties are located outside barracks they are offered for sale to the occupant and many have been disposed of in this manner. The majority of properties being overheld at this point however are located within barracks and it is not possible to offer these for sale.

Currently there are twenty eight overholders in married quarters in or near the Curragh Camp. Of this group, the Department has issued “ Notices to Quit” in fourteen cases and court proceedings seeking vacant possession were commenced in four of these cases. The courts have granted repossession to the Department in two of the cases and the other two are still being dealt with through the court process. Since 2013, overall fifteen former overholders have vacated properties at the Camp.

The Department initiated discussions with Kildare County Council to determine whether there was a possibility of a joint initiative to provide solutions to the overholding issues in the Curragh. The Council indicated that, due to budgetary constraints their policy now is to lease suitable properties in order to provide accommodation for those who meet the criteria for social housing assistance. In light of this, the Department advises overholders where appropriate to apply for social housing and have supplied supporting documentation to assist with such applications when requested.

In advancing the long standing policy of withdrawing from the provision of married quarter accommodation, which has been in place since 1997, the Department assists in whatever way it can in order to resolve cases without recourse to legal action. However, any initiative to resolve overholding must support and complement the policy as my Department does not have a role in the provision of housing accommodation for the general public and cannot subsidise housing for people who have no entitlement and who may well have the means to supply housing for themselves.