Defence | Vacant properties under control by the Department of Defence

QUESTION

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the total number of vacant, disused or decommissioned properties owned by his Department which potentially could be used for accommodation purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

I assume that by vacant properties the Deputy is referring to residential properties. There are seventy-eight (78) vacant residential type properties under the remit of my Department.  I am advised that none of these properties can be occupied without considerable refurbishment and were built before the Building Regulations and associated standards arising from same came into effect.

A consultant was commissioned by the Defence Forces to assess the condition of the vacant housing in barracks and its suitability for conversion/refurbishment to provide for additional single living-in accommodation for Defence Force personnel, this report was recently received in the Department and my officials will submit recommendations to me shortly on the remediation programme to be undertaken.