Westmeath County Council Council moves to revive Columb Barrack

Published: Wed 9 Jul 2025, 12:16 PM

Last updated: Wed 9 Jul 2025, 12:45 PM

Mullingar councillors have formed a new committee aimed at seeking progress on the regeneration of Columb Barracks, with repeated criticism levelled at the Land Development Agency (LDA) for allowing the site to fall into decay.

The move, led by Cllr Andrew Duncan and supported across party lines, comes amid growing concern over the condition of the historic military site and a lack of meaningful plans for its development.

“I brought this to the CPG, I brought it up at the last municipal district meeting, and it's my absolute 100% conviction that the LDA have not moved on any type of works in Mullingar or Columb Barracks,” said Cllr Duncan.

“The main buildings are disintegrating around us as we look at them. Their excuse for it is that the buildings are in use with Ukrainian refugees in IPAS, but that's a bit disingenuous of them because they hadn't taken any action prior to those modular homes and those people moving in at all.

“We can't rely on the LDA to take responsibility for this solely because they won't do anything.”

Cllr Duncan said it was vital that the planning exemption for temporary modular homes on the site may not be extended once expired, and that the barracks be prioritised for permanent housing and community use.

“This is not political; this is an altruistic, genuine attempt to try and get movement on what is an integral part of Mullingar town,” he said. “We form a committee and start putting pressure on to try and get a plan for Columb Barracks.”

The committee will comprise the six elected members for the Mullingar local electoral area: Cllrs Andrew Duncan, Michael Dollard, Bill Collentine, Aoife Davitt, Ken Glynn, and Julie McCourt. It will be formally supported by council administration and report back quarterly.

A public consultation was launched in 2021 to get input on the Land Development Agency's proposals to build homes at Columb Barracks in Mullingar.

The Land Development Agency (LDA) say the land is still in the ownership of The Department of Defence, and stated they intend to progress with the proposal to build homes on the site if it is transfered to them.