‘Asset stripping of the Defence Forces must stop’ – Statement from Cathal Berry TD on Cathal Brugha Barracks
Inundated by phone calls overnight. Absolute fury and disbelief in the Defence Community over Minister Eamon
Ryan’s insensitive and inaccurate announcement of the closure of Cathal Brugha Barracks on social media
yesterday.
Cathal Brugha Barracks is already being used for public housing- military social housing! Hundreds of troops and
their families live there. Men, women and children, who have essentially now been given an (inaccurate)
eviction notice over Twitter. And this from someone who campaigns for security of tenure and long-term
leases?
I spoke candidly, at length, and in person with Eamon Ryan in Leinster House last night to outline the
devastating impact of his tweet and why the response was so immediate and visceral. Military families are not
some underclass of people, unworthy of living in upmarket Rathmines and less deserving of a place to call
home. Had Minister Eamon Ryan the courtesy of letting me know in advance what he intended to do I could
have strongly advised him against it.
The notion that his government is going to build a brand-new military barracks instead is complete nonsense.
This “commitment” is not worth the paper it’s not written on. Over 15 military barracks have been closed in
Ireland in the last 25 years. Not a single barracks has been built instead. Why would this scenario be any
different? Many of these premises now lie completely idle in Longford, Fermoy, Mullingar, Clonmel and
elsewhere, despite the empty promises given by politicians who have long since retired.
Important to reassure those families affected last night, that the official Government press release issued
yesterday evening is the accurate reflection of the situation as outlined to military representative associations
late last year:
“Initiation of a feasibility study on transfer of the Cathal Brugha Barracks site to use in social and affordable
housing”
I have no doubt that this feasibility study will determine that the proposal is not feasible. Even the number of
historic and protected buildings in Cathal Brugha Bks makes it impossible. Furthermore, the actual closure of St
Bricins Hospital in Dublin has been announced numerous times in the last seven years, yet it is still functioning
as a military installation to this day.
Should a brand new, purpose built military barracks be delivered instead then that would be a very different
scenario. Past experience confirms that there is zero chance of that happening however, so Cathal Brugha
Barracks is not closing down if I and the military community have anything to do about it.
The asset stripping of Defence Force premises by successive governments must stop.
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