§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the location of the structures other than surveillance towers that are maintained by the security forces in Northern Ireland for a variety of observation purposes referred to in his answer of 3 November 1998,Official Report, columns 443–44. [65997]
§ Mr. George Robertson[holding answer 19 January 1999]: All Security Force bases in Northern Ireland have an observation function to some degree or other, for example, guard towers to maintain local security. There are currently 43 bases used by the British Army, including the Royal Irish Regiment, in Northern Ireland which are occupied by a platoon or more of troops. These include bases which are exclusively military or shared --with the RUC and are listed by Brigade, as follows:
3rd Infantry Brigade
- Bessbrook
- RUC Crossmaglen
- RUC Forkhill
- RUC Newtownhamilton
- Drumadd Barracks
- RUC Keady
- RUC Middletown
- Mahon Barracks
- Abercorn Barracks and Ballykinler Training Centre
- Rathfriland
- Aughnacloy
- Dungannon
- Cookstown
8th Infantry Brigade
- RUC Lisnaskea
- Clogher
- Clooney Base
- Ebrington Barracks
- Fort George
- Magherafelt
- Shackleton Barracks
- Lisanelly Barracks
- St. Lucia Barracks
- Grosvenor Barracks
- Magilligan Training Centre
8 - St. Patrick's Barracks
- RUC Strabane
- Coleraine (Laurel Hill House)
39th Infantry Brigade
- RUC Girdwood Park
- RUC Ladas Drive
- RUC Grosvenor Road
- Moscow Camp and Airport Jetty
- Musgrave Park Hospital
- Duke of Connaught Unit
- Malone Road
- RUC Woodbourne
- Carrickfergus
- Massereene Barracks
- Steeple Barracks
- Thiepval Barracks
- Kinnegar
- Palace Barracks
- Long Kesh
- Aldergrove.
Notes:
1. At the time of my previous answer of 3 November 1998, Official Report, column 445, there were 44 bases occupied by a platoon or more of troops. Fort Whiterock within 39 InfBde was decommissioned on 11 December 1998 and dismantling of the base is under way.
2. The list does not include RUC stations which have a token military presence, permanent vehicle check point (PVCPs) or patrol bases which were previously PVCPs.