Longford-Westmeath TD Gabrielle McFadden has said she is facilitating a delegation of Westmeath and Roscommon councillors to meet with Defence Minister Simon Coveney in order to put to bed the constant scaremongering over the future of Custume Barracks.
McFadden is asking Minister Coveney to speak directly to local councillors to put this scaremongering to bed once and for all.
“Minister Coveney has repeatedly said in public and in Dáil Eireann that the Government is committed to the long-term future of Custume Barracks, and I want the councillors to hear this directly from the Minister,” she says.
“The recently published new White Paper on Defence, which maps out the future of the Defence Forces for the next decade and beyond, outlines the major upgrading of facilities which has taken place at the barracks in the last number of years. The report also highlights the success of the air ambulance service, which is located at the barracks and has now been made permanent.
“The White Paper also confirms the Minister’s commitment to maintaining Defence Force personnel numbers at a minimum of 9,500 and this is very good news as regards to troop numbers at Custume Barracks.”
More than 30 new recruits have been posted to Custume Barracks in the last 18 months alone, and the new recruitment campaign for the Army that recently got underway is good news for the barracks with the potential for further growth there.
“I look forward to this delegation of councillors meeting Minister Coveney so we can finally put an end to this scaremongering about the barracks’ future,” McFadden says.
