No guarantee on Athlone as Army HQ site
The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin, has refused to give a commitment to designate Custume Barracks in Athlone as the location of the proposed new national headquarters of the Irish Army.
In the Dáil last Thursday, Mr Martin was questioned on the issue by Deputy Denis Naughten who pointed out that it was now twelve months since a report by the Commission on the Defence Forces recommended the establishment of a new Army headquarters.
The report suggested that that the headquarters should be situated in a central location, which raised hopes that Athlone would be chosen as the site for it.
"As the Tánaiste knows, the report talked about the geographic location of this, and slap bang in the middle of the country could not be a better location from that point of view," Deputy Naughten told the Dáil.
However, the Tánaiste responded by saying it would be "premature" to give any commitment about Athlone becoming the new Army headquarters.
He said Custume Barracks "is, and will continue to be, a very important operational military barracks," and said a number of works were being progressed there over the coming year at a combined cost of €1.8 million.
These consisted of "electric vehicle points enabling works, an upgrade to the main helipad, replacement of the EAS (Emergency Aeromedical Service) hangar and heat pump installation in the band hall and the main billet block."
The Commission on the Defence Forces published its report on February 9, 2022. The Tánaiste said several of its recommendations "may impact on the structure of the Defence Forces, including that the structure of the Army be reviewed."
He said military authorities were "progressing the establishment of an office of Army force design" which would "undertake the work required" for the recommended Army structure review.
"It would be premature to designate any barracks with headquarters status until the review of the structure of the Army is completed," the Tanáiste concluded.
Deputy Naughten described the Government's failure to commit to Athlone as the new headquarters location as "disappointing", but said he remained "determined to see Custume Barracks become the new headquarters for the Army".
He said the local barracks already "has all the infrastructure in place" to meet the requirements of such a designation.
The Galway-Roscommon TD also pointed out that when Athlone lost its brigade headquarter status, with the disbandment of the 4th Western Brigade in 2012, a clear commitment to maintain personnel numbers at the barracks was given.
He said this commitment had not been achieved. "Many of the personnel based in Athlone are based there in name only, and are actually being deployed out of Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin," he stated.