LAST UPDATE | 24 Jul
TÁNAISTE MICHÉL MARTIN today recommend against the relocation of Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin to make way for housing.
He argued that the projected total cost of €1bn for the 1,300 homes was to prohibitive, and that amount of money could be better spent.
The Tánaiste brought a memo to Cabinet today on feasibility studies carried out on the viability of relocating the barracks to a greenfield site, which is estimated to cost in the region of €499 million.
Moving the military barracks could create the potential for just over a thousand homes in the city centre.
Under Housing for All, all government departments were asked to examine their land portfolio to assess if there were suitable sites available for housing.
The Department of Defence, through Arup, carried out a study to examine the Dublin barracks’ suitability while a separate study carried out by the Land Development Agency also examined the suitability of Cathal Brugha Barracks for housing development.
It indicated the full relocation of the barracks would allow for the development of approximately 1,300 homes, with the development costs estimated at €499 million.
This would bring the estimated combined cost of relocating the barracks and redeveloping the site to approx €1 billion.
Speaking to reporters at Cathal Brugha Barracks this afternoon, the Tánaiste told The Journal that €1bn “could be used in a better way to build much more homes”.
“You’re looking at €1 bn for 1,300 houses, that doesn’t really add up,” he said.
He added that there would be many complications if the site was to be used, given the number of listed buildings on the site.
The Tánaiste also made the point that the Government is currently in the middle of developing the Defence Forces and said it can’t “willy nilly” just take barracks off it and say “go and find somewhere else”.
“Those days are over,” he said.
He added that there was also important military reasons for the Defence Forces to remain in Cathal Brugha Barracks in terms of “capacity to defend the state within the city perimeter”.
Upon the publication of the feasibility study earlier this year, some Oireachtas criticised the proposal of using the site in Dublin 6 for housing.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said at the time that high quality housing and low cost-rental housing could be delivered on the site. However, Independent TD and former Army Ranger Cathal Berry said many were “completely upset and outraged” by the proposal.
Taking into account findings of the studies, the estimated costs involved and military advice, the Tánaiste will today recommend against the relocation of Cathal Brugha Barracks.
Separately, Cabinet will consider the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of sexual harassment along with changes to maternity leave, which will allow for leave to be deferred in cases of serious physical or mental illness.
Alongside this, a statutory entitlement for members of the Oireachtas to take maternity leave will be introduced.
As part of today’s bumper Cabinet agenda, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler are expected to bring the Mental Health Bill to Cabinet, which will be a significant overhaul of the State’s mental health laws.
The legislation will update the Mental Health Act 2001.
The government has been drafting the Mental Health Amendment Bill legislation since 2016.
It is close to ten years since an expert group tasked with reviewing the Mental Health Act 2001 recommended 165 changes to the law.
In addition, a series of measures to improve disability services will also be discussed by ministers, which will include a significant increase in the number of people trained in therapies and a new autism strategy.
The Government will also today be updated on the government’s plan to ratify a protocol on disability rights.
Ministers will today sign off on taking another step towards ratifying the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which government has committed to do before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Patrick O’Donovan will confirm 160 college places in key healthcare areas, including disability, as a result of the work of Cabinet committee on disability.
The increases in college places will be for physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy in Higher Education Institutes over the next two academic years and across the country.
Finance Minister Jack Chambers will today seek Cabinet approval to publish the Access to Cash bill, which empowers the minister to set out that a specified percentage of the population must be within a certain distance of an ATM on a regional basis.
This is set out as no less than 5km and no more than 10km.
The new legislation allows the minister to set out that a specified percentage of the population must be within no less than 5km and no more than 10km of a cash service point – either a bank branch or a post office.
The legislation also sets out that a specified number of ATMs per 100,000 people must be available.
The bill also puts an obligation initially on the three main retail banks to ensure there is sufficient access to cash, with the Central Bank being held responsible for the monitoring and enforcement of the legislation.
With reporting from Jane Matthews.
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