A chara – While David McWilliams correctly identified the fact that the State is the country's biggest landowner ("Why an Irish mortgage costs ¤80,000 more than a German one", News Review, October 11th), his suggestion that Defence Forces military installations, such as Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines in Dublin, Renmore Barracks in Galway, and Collins Barracks in Cork, should be handed over to local authorities for housing is off the mark and belies a lack of appreciation of tradition, not to mention State security.
He may have inadvertently stumbled onto something, though. Building accommodation for military families in these secure locations would act as a retention incentive for some of the State’s lowest-paid public servants, and at the same time alleviate some of the pressure on urban housing lists.
With a small number of families currently availing of this facility, a substantial increase in the existing housing stock within military compounds could also reduce response times in the event of emergency callouts. A win-win. – Is mise,
Comdt CONOR KING,
General Secretary,
Representative Association
of Commissioned Officers,
Citywest,
Dublin 24.