Future role of Custume Barracks under threat
by Karen Downey Updated: Wednesday, 14th December, 2011 9:30am
There is growing concern over the future status of Custume Barracks following the announcement by Minister for Defence Alan Shatter last week that the Defence Forces is to lose one of its brigades, moving from a three brigade structure to two brigades.
The 4th Western Brigade is headquartered in Athlone and while Minister Shatter has given assurances that the restructuring will not include any further closures of army barracks, the loss of brigade headquarter status could bring with it the loss of certain specialist units in Athlone.
It's believed the Minister plans to move people from 'administrative and support functions' to frontline service.
Speculation has been mounting that it will be the 4th Western Brigade that loses out as the other two brigades are headquartered in Dublin and Cork and it is unlikely that either of these locations would lose a brigade headquarters.
The Western Brigade this week stressed that no decision has yet been made on where the two brigade headquarters would be located.
Spokesman for the 4th Western Brigade Comdt Oliver Dwyer said: "No decision has been reached as regards the location of the two brigade headquarters. We will go to a two-brigade structure. We have gone through the process of change before and we will do it again in line with Government direction."
At present each of the three brigades has three infantry battalions, as well as cavalry units, logistic support units, artillery units, medical corps and other support units. In the case of the 4th Western Brigade these include the 6th Infantry Battalion, located in Custume Barracks and Cavan; the 1st Infantry Battalion in Galway; the 28th Infantry Battalion in Donegal; the 4th Field Engineers in Custume Barracks; the 4th LSU (Logistical Support Unit) located in Custume Barracks; the 4th Cavalry Squadron which relocated from Longford to Athlone and the 4th Field Artillery Regiment, which is due to relocate from Mullingar to Athlone.
The Department of Defence is billing the move as a reorganisation of the Defence Forces, which will free up people in administration to be on the front line.
However, in a two-brigade strcuture it is likely there wouldn't be the need for the same number of support units, which could mean moving people currently in specialist roles into battalions, with the possibility of less battalions across the two new brigades.
In response to a query from the Westmeath Independent about Minister Shatter's announcement, spokeswoman for the Department of Defence Áine Fitzpatrick said Minister Shatter has asked the Chief of Staff and the Secretary General to prepare proposals regarding the reorganisation of the Defence Forces and has asked them to get back to him by the end of January.
Ms Fitzpatrick said the move is simply a reorganisation of the Defence Forces and there will be no further closures of army barracks.
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