Ryan calls for action to address dereliction at the Curragh Camp
Sinn Féin TD for South Kildare, Patricia Ryan TD, has called for the dereliction at the Curragh Camp to be addresses. Speaking in the Dáil on yesterday (10/03/22), Patricia said:
“I am very disappointed to hear there are no plans to bring the vacant homes back into use. We have a housing crisis in this country and must look at every opportunity available. I am dealing with people on the Curragh Camp and soldiers need homes too. We have 6,600 people on the housing list in County Kildare at present. When you visit the camp, it is disgraceful to see how badly run down it has become. It was once a vibrant town with many people and a great community. This issue needs to be sorted.
I visited the Curragh Camp three weeks ago and saw the dereliction at first hand. I am sure the Minister has visited it several times. He will be aware of the filling in of the hollow at Donnelly's Hollow there. It seems to contain the remains of demolished buildings, although there has been a cover-up subsequently. I have asked several parliamentary questions on this matter but am not waiting for a reply any time soon. The Curragh's community has suffered greatly and is now losing a school as well. We have soldiers sleeping in cars because they cannot afford to find anywhere else to live. I ask that this situation be dealt with.”
In reply the Minister said that “the Curragh Camp is a military training facility, and the decision was made many years ago by a previous Government that having married quarters with families on a military training facility was not appropriate. Thirty-eight married quarter houses are occupied in the Curragh - 11 are occupied by military and 27 are occupied by over holders. We want to work with them on finding appropriate housing solutions for everyone.”
Speaking after the debate Patricia said:
The Minister acknowledges that The Curragh is the headquarters and, in many ways, the flagship of the Army and that there are too many derelict buildings in the Curragh. The buildings must be brought back into use, whether it is for housing, temporary accommodation, or some other use. Leaving them to rot is not an option.
Link to the debate: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2022-03-10/21/#pq_21