Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

231. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department has sanctioned the expenditure of €299,000 excluding VAT to convert artillery towing Land Rovers from diesel to electric power; if such vehicles, if converted may be suitable for use in towing gun carriages at military funerals; if there are any other perceived advantages in such conversions, whether there are any further plans for such conversions of Defence Forces vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37086/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

No such expenditure has been sanctioned by the Department in respect of the upgrading of these non-armoured vehicles.

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

232. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 335 of 29 April 2025, the outcome of the consultant’s report cited; whether he will make this report public; the steps his Department is taking to retrofit or otherwise bring vacant married quarters previously used by the Defence Forces owned by his Department back into use as accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37216/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy may be aware that since the 1990s, the long-standing policy of the organisation has been to withdraw from the provision of married quarters for serving personnel. This policy approach remains reflective of the State’s move away from the historic provision of tied housing for State employees.

In terms of the Defence Forces residential housing stock, there are currently eighty (80) uninhabitable residential properties. None of these properties can be brought up to a habitable standard without significant work, and many were built prior to the introduction of building regulations. It was in this context that Consultants were commissioned to assess the condition of the Defence Forces vacant housing stock and its suitability for conversion/refurbishment to provide for additional single living-in accommodation for Defence Forces personnel, which I referenced in my previous reply on this matter.

This report has now been presented to me, and I have reviewed its recommendations on which properties are suitable for refurbishment as accommodation and which are not. I have directed that my officials now engage with the Defence Forces to include these projects into the existing infrastructure development plan. The full details of the report will not be published due to the commercial sensitivity of projected cost estimates contained within.

These developments will dovetail with an extensive wider programme of Defence Forces accommodation procurement. Since the launch of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan in January 2020, 13 accommodation projects at a combined cost of over €49m have been completed, providing 775 beds. In terms of conversion of former married quarters specifically, a number of these projects are currently being progressed in addition to those already completed in recent years.