OUTGOING Minister for Defence Éamon Ó Cuív has directed that the Army Equitation School should be retained despite it having been targeted for abolition in the McCarthy report on public spending.
Mr Ó Cuív also said a full-strength Irish-speaking battalion based at Renmore Barracks in Galway would be retained in a reorganisation of the Defence Forces now under consideration.
“As one of the foremost horse- breeding nations it is very important that we retain every element of the promotion of horses in this country. The equitation school has a proud record in representing Ireland, and I believe that in whatever reorganisation takes place in the Defence Forces that the equitation school should be maintained.”
The Fine Gael spokesman on defence, David Stanton, said his party in office would be committed to maintaining both the Irish-speaking battalion and the equitation school. However, he expressed surprise the outgoing Government had chosen to take the decisions rather than leaving them to the new government.
Separately, Government press secretary Eoghan Ó Neachtain is to stay on in his post for a short period after a new government is formed. Mr Ó Neachtain said he had been asked to remain in his job for a transition period.
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