Long-awaited Army HQ 'will be in place next year'
A fresh timeline issued by the Department of Defence for setting up a national headquarters for the Irish Army has identified December 2027 as the date by which it's due to be in place.
Athlone's Custume Barracks is regarded as one of the leading potential locations for the Army headquarters after the Commission on the Defence Forces, in 2022, called for it to be established in a "central location" in the country.
The Commission recommended that the Army, Air Corps and Naval service should each have their own service headquarters, and that a post of Army Sergeant Major should be created and located in the Army headquarters.
This recommendation was subsequently "accepted in principle" by the Government, and an updated timeline for its implementation, published by the Department of Defence in recent weeks, listed December 2027 as the deadline for it to be enacted.
In recent years, successive Ministers for Defence were asked about the possible designation of Custume Barracks as the national Army headquarters but were non-committal in their responses.
A Dáil question in July 2024, from Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy, asked if the barracks in Athlone was "under strong consideration" for headquarters status.
In his reply, then-Minister for Defence Micheál Martin emphasised that "no decisions on the future disposition or locations of Defence Forces formations, installations and personnel have been made at this time".
A similar Dáil question was asked by Roscommon-Galway TD Martin Daly in February of last year, and it yielded a similar response from then-Minister for Defence Simon Harris.
Athlone councillor Frankie Keena said that, in light of the December 2027 timeframe for the headquarters to be established, he would be redoubling his efforts to have it located in his home town.
"We need the Army headquarters to be in Athlone," said Cllr Keena.
"It's ideally suited geographically, and it would give a huge opportunity for the town to progress further, because Athlone has always had a strong Army connection. So many local families were raised through the Defence Forces' wage packet.
"Having an Army HQ here would bring more spending into the local economy of Athlone, so it's definitely something I'll be pushing for."
He pointed out that the local barracks was "of a very high standard and spec" and that it had shown its capacity to be an Army headquarters by virtue of serving as headquarters of the (now-disbanded) 4th Western Brigade in the past.
"In the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, a number of years ago, they (recommended) a Midland location for the Army headquarters.
"I would imagine that Athlone and the Curragh in Kildare will be in the mix for it. I would see the Curragh as more of an Eastern location, rather than the Midlands, but I suppose that's a matter of opinion," said Cllr Keena.
"Now that the timeframe for the headquarters is being narrowed it suggests that discussions are happening behind the scenes, so I intend to raise this further to see if we can get any more information."
The December 2027 date by which the Army headquarters is due to be in place was listed in the 'Updated Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces' which was published by the Department of Defence on February 10.