THE CLOSURE of Army barracks in Westmeath and Tipperary and the relocation of personnel to other parts of the country could cost more than €8.5 million, according to Defence Forces’ documents seen by The Irish Times.
Confidential barrack consolidation reports, relating to the closure of Columb Barracks in Mullingar, and Kickham Barracks in Clonmel, show that the transfers to Custume Barracks in Athlone and Sarsfield Barracks in Limerick could cost up to €2.84 million and €5.75 million respectively.
Closure of the two barracks has been under consideration by the Government over the last six months.
Despite protests from the families of Army personnel, Minister for Defence Alan Shatter has refused to rule out shutting down both facilities. He said his priority was to keep up the numbers of personnel in the Defence Forces.
The confidential report on the transfer from Mullingar to Athlone shows facilities to accommodate soldiers could cost €271,000 in the short term.
These would include additional office space, a regimental headquarters and training rooms in 13 prefabs, locker facilities and storage areas. In the long term, new accommodation could cost €2.57 million. This includes an estimated €1 million to provide 60 bed spaces, €600,000 for a new locker block and €250,000 for training rooms, the report shows.
The barrack consolidation report for the transfer from Clonmel to Limerick shows short-term costs of €250,000 to include €100,000 to accommodate lockers and €50,000 to purchase 12 containers for armoury and stores.
The long-term costs of this transfer would come to €5.5 million, the report says.
Costs would include the refurbishment and extension of the existing armoury for €1 million, €1 million for a new workshop and €1 million for offices.
A spokesman for the Department of Defence said the total costs of providing additional facilities in the receiving barracks arising from the four most recent closures at Letterkenny, Lifford, Longford and Monaghan amounted to about €3 million.
“There is no reason to believe that the cost of any future closures would not be along the same lines,” he said.
He also said the issue of the closure of barracks will be considered shortly by the Government as part of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure.
