‘State has little chance of selling barracks sites’

SALES of former military barracks which were shut down over the past 12 years have netted the Government almost €85 million, but property experts claim they will be lucky to find any buyers for four Defence Forces sites due to be closed soon.

Estate agents around the country yesterday questioned the logic of the Government’s decision to close Army barracks in Mullingar, Clonmel, Cavan and Castlebar.

Although the Defence Minister Alan Shatter maintains the closure of the four facilities will result in annual savings of €5m despite no job losses, property experts in the four towns believe the Government has little or no chance of selling the sites.