No response on Nenagh barracks
Department says it has not been asked to survey site
A response is still awaited from the Department of Defence over the future of Nenagh’s military barracks site.
Local councillor Séamie Morris raised the issue at the July meeting of Nenagh Municipal District. District Administrator Rosemary Joyce said the council had contacted the department but has still not received any response to the correspondence.
“You’ve done your best,” Cllr Morris told Ms Joyce. “It is now time to get on to our TDs.”
He said that Nenagh is being ignored by the Department of Defence and that the people living in that area “deserve better”. He warned that the barracks “will decide to fall some day and children will be hurt”.
Following the council meeting, Cllr Morris asked Senator Mark Daly, Leas-Chathaoirelach of the Seanad, if he could send a request to the Department of Defence for a meeting with Nenagh Municipal District to discuss the future of the military barracks.
Cllr Morris said that he would like to discuss the outcome of the recent title search of the site, the need for a safety survey to be carried out on the barracks and surrounding buildings, and the need for a maintenance plan to be put in place for the site while it is in the hands of the department.
“The site has become overgrown and dangerous, and there is dereliction on the site and the Municipal District may need to go down the dereliction route,” he said.
NO SURVEY
Meanwhile, local TD Alan Kelly has released two Parliamentary Questions he put to the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence last April. He had asked for an explanation of why the department would not carry out a survey on the current condition of the barracks following a request to do same; and the reason why this would not be facilitated.
Deputy Kelly further asked if the Tánaiste and minister would carry out a survey on the current condition of the barracks, following confirmation that it is now his department that owns the property.
In a written reply, Deputy Kelly was told: “My department has not received any formal request to carry out a survey on the condition of the military barracks in Nenagh.
“As I have previously stated, officials from my department wrote to Tipperary County Council offering to transfer the property in question for a nominal sum, having regard to its central location in Nenagh and its historical ties to the town. However, the council declined the offer.
“My officials are available to discuss the matter further with Tipperary County Council as the initial offer to transfer the property to them still stands.”