Closing barracks would be lunacy, says Penrose

A MINISTER of state has pledged to vigorously oppose any bid to close a military barracks in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, declaring such a move as “economic lunacy”.

Department of Defence chiefs say all options are on the table and they have not ruled out shutting down the 180-man Columb military barracks under cost-saving plans.

Wives of soldiers and army families in Westmeath joined forces in a public meeting on Monday and expressed concern about the future facility, which is dedicated to artillery.

Junior and Housing Minister Willie Penrose told his constituents he would fight any move to close the barracks. He claimed Labour ministers at Cabinet were aware of his concerns.

“It would be crass stupidity and economic lunacy to even contemplate the possible closure of this important barracks. It’s pure economic folly to close the barracks when there’s a zero chance of disposing of it. You wouldn’t dispose of anything now so the economic lunacy and the madness is all pervasive.”

The Department of Defence said yesterday that no decision had been made but that consideration on closures across the force was being considered as part of the Government’s spending review. The department said “various commissions, reports and studies back to the 1990s identified barrack closure as a fundamental requirement towards improving military effectiveness and efficiency”.

Dozens of women spoke on behalf of their army husbands on Monday.

Senior officers visited the base in recent days, leading to rumours that it may be shut as early as December.

Mr Penrose told RTÉ: “I have no intention of supporting stupid decisions.”

He said that the barracks closure would be a “bridge too far”.

Despite his protestations in his constituency, Mr Penrose said yesterday that he had not raised his concerns about the barracks at the weekly Cabinet meeting.