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Irish Minister for State Willie Penrose resigns over barracks closure

Labour Party TD quits his post over decision to close Columb Barracks in Mullingar

JAMES O'SHEA,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 12:32 PM

Updated Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 1:02 PM

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Labour Party TDs Joan Bruton and Willie Penrose pictued at Leinster House

Photo by Fotoware

The Labour Party TD Willie Penrose has resigned as Minister of State over the decision to close Columb Barrack in Mullingar, County Westmeath.

On Tuesday afternoon the decision to shut down the facility, by the end of March 2012, was announced at a Cabinet meeting. Penrose had voiced strong opposition to the plan.

Penrose told RTE that he tendered his resignation with regret.

He said “Over recent weeks and months, I had made my clear unstinting opposition to proposals to close Columb Barracks in Mullingar, so arising from a decision that was made at cabinet today, I had no alternative but to take this course of action."

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"I was not prepared to stand over a decision that was not backed up by the facts and figures. While I will no longer hold the Labour whip, I will continue to serve the people of Longford Westmeath as an active and vocal public representative."

In total four military barracks are to close and 500 soldiers will be affected by this decision. They will be relocated to other barracks. The 170 members of the 4th Field Artillery based at Columb Barracks Mullingar will move to Athlone.

Tánaiste and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said that while he was not surprised by Penrose’s decision.

Gilmore said that while the decision to close the barrack was difficult the “Government had to make difficult decisions in the interest of the country."

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DanOLoingsigh | Nov 17, 2011, 03:32 PM EST

Bit more info on airports in our country...there are two airports in Belfast...International, which by passenger figures is Ireland's second busiest, and Belfast George Best City, formerly Harbour, (and before that a Short Bros testing and proving strip), right next to the city, by passenger figures Ireland's third busiest. Dublin is of course the busiest, and after the two Belfast ones comes Cork, Shannon, and Knock in that order...Galway has been virtually closed since Aer Arann pulled out. Dublin, Cork and Shannon have not yet rejoined the UK...not yet anyway...

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mamaginnty | Nov 17, 2011, 12:54 PM EST

gees gabdaw the nearest to me would be Waterford, two planes a day as with the rest of the mini airports you mention. Dublin and Shannon Cork are the main ones both a good 80 -90 miles from around the Co. Kilkenny area. We do have mountains near some airports, if I decide to live up the sugarloaf just to be near Dublin airport I will let you know. As for IC. many irish who are living in Ireland are on this site too, so I think that helps more in letting irish Americans know what is going on in our country. Derry and Belfast airports..are not in the republic, not yet anyway.

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gobdawpaddy | Nov 16, 2011, 09:43 PM EST

Ahh, mamaginnty (any relation to the goat?). In case you aren't aware, this forum was created in conjunction with the New York newspaper, 'The Irish Voice' and 'Irish America' magazine, primarily to give Irish Americans a place to share observations regarding what is happening in Ireland and amongst the Irish community in the states. I am in the US and this is all I am doing. When the topic is one on the US, I will share my views (no lecture) in a similar manner. When the affected soldiers signed up, they understood they could be transferred, just like gardai or bank employees. As regards the airports Ireland has Donegal, Sligo, Knock, Galway, Shannon, Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Dublin, not forgetting Derry and Belfast. You must be really living up a mountain to be so far away from one.

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mamaginnty | Nov 16, 2011, 12:32 PM EST

Parish pump politics at the expense of the national good, get a life Gawbod, at the expense of the the irish people. Mullingar is a small area with very little employment, not all the soldiers will be relocated, but on the dole. These are small barracks where army families have bought thier homes around them over the years. Not just a few soldiers but communities shops etc. Also not every region has an airport, the nearest major airport to me would be Dublin, 90 mls or Cork 100 mls. I wish you would look at a map of Ireland when suggesting where hospitals should be placed, again every village does not have it's own Garda Station. Yes we rejected our last crook government, but jumped from the pan into the fire after a spin of lies. The government dig into a citizens purse of 200eu a week to top up thier own 2000. to 4000. a week. Are digging even deeper into that 200eu purse to pay big time bondholders who gambled and lost. The electorate does see the big picture now. If you live in Ireland you should know parish pumps are long gone, if you are in America then I suggest you get your own house in order before a lecture on Ireland. As for listening to Ivan Yates on radio for god sake that man knows more about cattle than he he ever did about people.

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gobdawpaddy | Nov 16, 2011, 07:30 AM EST

Former minister Ivan Yates was on an Irish radio station this morning and enquired 'what does the Irish Army do that requires 9,500 people', including 11 or 12 generals, and costs EUR 800 million per annum? In contrast, with its vast size and all its responsibilities, the United States Army apparently only has 28 generals. Ireland is currently in the position where they are going to have to cut 2,000 teachers, if the can save EUR 5m by closing Mullingar barracks, isn't that a more sensible choice? Also, in relation to an over abundance of services in Ireland (given that the country is broke), why does every region need an airport? I can see the necessity for Kerry airport and one of Donegal, Sligo, Knock or Galway airports (probably Sligo), but not all 4. Should a government minister or TD from those regions go along with such a closure, I can just imagine the opposition attacks and expression of voter anger come the next election. If the country is to succeed, the Irish electorate must start thinking about the big picture.

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gobdawpaddy | Nov 16, 2011, 05:16 AM EST

I had thought that things had changed in Ireland after the electorate so roundly rejected their previous government, but alas gombeenism and parish pump politics are alive and kicking. How many army barracks are needed in Ireland, a country with a population half that of the CITY of New York? Every town wants its own hospital -why does Mallow hospital exist when there are full service hospitals available in Cork, Limerick and Tralee? Where is the necessity for a hospital in Ennis when Limerick and Galway are so close? Every village wants its own Garda station even though many of them only open bewtween 10am and 1pm. Ireland cannot afford this over abundance of services. Far from displaying political courage, Mr Penrose is playing parish pump politics at the expense of the national good.

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mamaginnty | Nov 15, 2011, 03:21 PM EST

Not many like Penrose who will stand up and be counted, Gilmore the slimebag saying in the interest of the country, when he really means ..in the interest of the banks and not the people.

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