THE END of an era will be marked today when troops march out of Monaghan Military Barracks for the last time.
The barracks is one of five military facilities whose closures were announced in the Budget last October. The Government said the decision was a cost-saving and efficiency measure.
While the barracks were ordered to close by January 31st, the sale of the properties may not take place for some time, because of the depressed property market.
Barracks in Lifford, Letterkenny and Longford will all close next week. A date has not yet been set for the closure of the fifth military installation, St Bricin’s Military Hospital in Dublin city.
The closure of the five facilities will affect up to 650 military personnel and 40 civilian staff. All personnel will be transferred to other barracks.
The 200 or so staff in the Monaghan barracks will be moved to Aiken Barracks in Dundalk.
Up to 260 troops from the two Co Donegal barracks will be transferred to Finner Camp in Ballyshannon. The 130 personnel in Longford will be moved to Custume Barracks in Athlone.
The closure of the barracks has been heavily criticised by Pdforra, the association representing soldiers, and the families of the soldiers involved.
Sheila Shields of the Save Connolly Barracks group said the closure of the facilities made no economic sense. In the case of Longford, she said the loss of the barracks would merely serve to remove a €6 million wage bill from the town.
Longford had more than 1,500 more people unemployed than Athlone, she added.
She said one barber had told her he would lose 60 per cent of his business. Other businesses, such as coffee shops and filling stations, would also be hit.
“It will be the worst thing to happen to Longford since Noel Hanlon’s ambulance factory closed down,” she said.
In a last-ditch move, the Longford group is working with MEP Jim Higgins to see if their case comes within the terms of reference of the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions.
If it was found to be eligible the committee would hear the grievance and could make a report to Government on the matter.
Mr Higgins agreed that it was a late intervention. “I don’t know if it will work or not, but it’s worth a try,” he said.
Yesterday the Donegal Steering Group Against Barrack Closures was strongly critical of Tánaiste Mary Coughlan for failing to act on the issue. Its chairman John Durran said she had promised to look after the northwest, “but she is just toeing the party line”.
He said some soldiers could end up travelling 500 miles more per week, if they lived in the north of the county. He also criticised the fact that soldiers did not hear about the closures until it was announced during the Budget. “It goes back to the way soldiers are always treated,” he said.
