From the Galway City Tribune – Construction work has got underway on a 68-bed accommodation unit at Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa in Renmore, the Department of Defence has confirmed.

The new living quarters for members of the Defence Forces is to be located at the site of the former University Students’ Accommodation Complement (USAC) complex and will take around 18 months to complete.

While it had been initially planned to accommodate up 120 beds within the over 50-year-old building, a decision was made to proceed with a new build given the state of the existing structure, a spokesperson for the Defence Forces told the Galway City Tribune.

“Following technical assessment of the condition and degree of degradation of the former USAC building, a new build solution – in preference to refurbishment of the existing buildings – was recommended by the external consultant design team appointed in 2020 to plan and design an upgrade of the facility,” said the spokesperson.

They confirmed that it would take until May 2023 to complete building works, with the accommodation due to come into use in June 2024.

The project was announced by Minister of State for Defence, Paul Keogh, in 2019 in response to challenges faced by members of the Defence Forces securing accommodation in the private rental market.

Construction work was projected to begin in 2020 but the sod was only turned last month.

USAC was a purpose-built facility constructed in the 1970s to accommodate Officers of the Defence Forces undertaking courses at third level institutes in Galway.

While located adjacent to the barracks in Renmore, it is outside the confines of the barracks and is self-contained with its own access and parking.

Conditions at the facility were previously described as ‘inadequate’, with up to three people sharing rooms without common areas and in some cases, without access to drinking water.

The Defence Forces spokesperson said it was not anticipated that additional numbers would be stationed in Renmore.

“The new building will replace accommodation in the former USAC complex,” he said.
This article first appeared in the print edition of the Galway City Tribune, October 28. You can support our journalism by subscribing to the Galway City Tribune HERE. The print edition is in shops every Friday.