The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin visited the Curragh, Co Kildare, to review the impact of the record allocation of €55m towards improving Defence Forces buildings under the Defence Forces Infrastructure Plan.
Since the Tánaiste was appointed as Minister for Defence he has visited Barracks across the country, witnessing significant infrastructural improvements with several further improvements planned to commence shortly.
Speaking at the Cadet School HQ at the Defence Forces Training Centre, where €4.6m worth of improvements will be completed in the coming weeks, the Tánaiste said, “in the last three years, an unprecedented level of investment has been made in our Defence Forces infrastructure and this level of investment is growing exponentially to meet and further accelerate the roll out of the Infrastructure Plan.”
Across the country, there are over €120m worth of projects underway at different stages of development. The programme ensures that the required capital funding is prioritised as building activities increase over the lifetime of the plan.
In the Defence Forces Training Centre alone in recent years, the following projects have been completed:
1. A new high security ammunition Depot
2. Modernised accommodation in Pearse and Plunkett Barracks (providing over 100 standard beds for DF personnel)
3. A new Electronic Target Range
4. A new Barrack Services Engineering Store.
These improvements in the Training Centre were all completed at a combined cost of over €21m.
The following significant projects in the Curragh Camp will be at various developmental stages during 2023:
1. A new Cadet school – works are well advanced and due for completion in mid-September.
2. A new purpose built Communication and Information Systems (CIS) facility – a Design Team has been appointed and advertisement for a main works contractor is expected to take place over the coming weeks;
3. Provision of a new Army Ranger Wing Headquarters – a Design Team has been appointed and detailed design work is now underway with a projected target date for construction commencement in early 2024.
4. Construction of a new Transport Garaging Facility – an advertisement for a main works contractor is expected to take place over the coming weeks;
5. Construction of a new Engineering Logistics Office- a main works contractor was recently appointed and works have commenced on site.
The above projects represent an investment of over €25m in the Curragh Camp alone for this year.
