Columb barracks should be army reserve hq penrose

The decision to close Columb Barracks in Mullingar was “foolhardy, disgraceful and had no economic basis”, Labour Deputy Willie Penrose has told the Dáil.

It was driven, he said, by a minister who was subsumed with arrogance and who listened to nobody.

“I do not like saying ‘I told you so’, but everything I said about it has proven to be true,” he said.

“However, if one is omnipotent, autocratic, knows everything and listens to nobody, one will make the wrong decisions. That is what happened in this case.”

Speaking during a debate on a White Paper on Defence, Deputy Penrose said there is still time and, in fairness, the current minister (Simon Coveney) is a person who listens.

“I do not think the bureaucrats will listen,” he said.

“However, a politician’s job is to make decisions and a civil servant’s job is to implement decisions, not the other way around.”

Columb Barracks in Mullingar should, he said, be designated as a national headquarters of the Army Reserve where all initial and continuing annual training of the reserve would take place.

All specialist and integration training would take place in the twinned units.

“Independent reserve units would also do their annual training in Columb Barracks, Mullingar,” he said.

“This would give a critical and pivotal national role for the barracks, while establishing and maintaining its identity and ring-fenced purpose.

“Designating Columb Barracks as a national centre for such annual training guarantees a continuing throughput of personnel, which in addition to its primary role guarantees its ongoing occupation, along with the sports bodies.

“There are 27 acres there with accommodation for 500 people, including new buildings. It is located at the heart of Ireland.”