Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 8

Written Answers. - Library Projects.

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

205 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when the necessary finance will be provided to enable the proposed new library for Castleisland, County Kerry to go to tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19659/97]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey):

Proposals for a branch library in Castleisland have been received in my Department and are being considered. However, having regard to the high level of demand for funding for library proposals generally, it is not possible to indicate when the Castleisland proposals may be approved for funding.

Paul McGrath

Question:

206 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the criteria by which a subsidy is paid to local authorities to provide library buildings; the amount paid to each authority under this heading for each of the past ten years; if he will confirm that an application has been made for subsidy for a new library building already provided in Mullingar, County Westmeath; when this application was submitted; the reason there has been no progress on this application; the amount owing to Westmeath County Council in this regard; when this amount will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19688/97]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey):

Public library developments receive financial support on the basis of the contribution the development will make to the public library service.

The criteria used to assess this contribution are the impact of the project, the cost of the project, its location, its design, the existing level of library infrastructure, the priority placed on the project by the library authority, the level of service being proposed, and the relationship between the library development and other related services.

A balance is also maintained, at national level, between developments in areas of different population size and between supporting fixed library infrastructure and library vehicles.

Financial support is currently given by either payment of a subsidy on leased premises or by payment of a capital grant for the construction or purchase of library buildings, library equipment or library stock. Some subsidy continues to be paid in respect of loans taken out by library authorities, before 1988, in respect of library developments. Since 1988, most of the support paid by my Department has been as capital grants.

The following table sets out details of subsidy payments made to each library authority since 1988.

As regards Mullingar library, revised proposals for the project were submitted by Westmeath County Council to my Department in January 1990. The council requested financial support through a combination of lease subsidy and capital grant.

In July 1990, while the proposals were being considered by my Department, it was learned that the library was already under construction. The library opened in May 1991.

The library was built without approval from my Department and without undergoing the normal appraisal process applicable to library proects. The project does not, therefore, qualify for financial support in the normal way.

My Department has recently had discussions with Westmeath County Council to investigate if a basis exists for supporting the completed project. The matter is under consideration.

Any decision that may be taken to provide support to Westmeath County Council for Mullingar library will be taken in line with the criteria outlined above and will take account of the council's failure to adhere to normal procedures.

Local Authority	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997 (Est.)
Cavan County Council	1,982	5,330	3,547	3,184	481	–	–	–	–	–
Clare County Council	71,283	52,486	47,708	28,285	14,891	3,175	1,888	–	–	–
Cork Corporation	60,906	53,059	49,428	42,750	11,860	–	23,720	8,895	14,825	11,860
Cork County Council	55,715	49,817	23,653	37,942	12,581	12,954	11,596	–	–	–
Donegal County Council	2,759	941	2,989	1,798	1,693	870	916	1,757	1,195	–
Dublin Corporation	268,446	218,716	333,255	201,878	184,981	117,374	112,575	108,100	123,104	119,388
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown	52,872	43,138	62,968	37,136	50,507	31,216	–	–	–	–
Fingal County Council	102,962	110,804	93,923	94,251	75,214	78,041	108,700	108,700	133,822	95,938
Galway County Council	29,183	64,762	7,470	47,051	92,593	45,407	–	58,129	–	171,035
Kerry County Council	22,369	21,743	21,679	14,866	13,657	12,558	5,602	–	–	–
Kildare County Council	–	23,596	11,078	9,927	9,077	8,272	–	–	–	–
Kilkenny County Council	27,435	30,982	22,534	20,663	17,922	17,752	16,254	15,741	13,557	8,151
Laois County Council	16,954	14,600	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Leitrim County Council	5,364	4,913	6,993	23,777	7,338	1,151	6,640	3,320	3,320	3,320
Limerick Corporation	45,018	34,236	53,757	44,992	78,648	45,330	38,418	44,529	61,904	54,900
Longford County Council	–	15,695	10,591	10,685	8,574	2,783	1,171	–	–	–
Mayo County Council	14,405	1,322	25,386	6,280	–	–	–	–	–	–
Meath County Council	9,691	4,846	14,536	9,691	4,739	2,730	2,730	2,730	1,365	1,788
Monaghan County Council	8,509	3,959	11,699	7,101	6,270	–	–	–	–	–
Offaly County Council	48,058	5,337	49,678	26,531	21,029	16,159	9,765	4,624	4,343	4,141
Sligo County Council	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	17,750
South Dublin County Council	15,107	34,094	37,569	29,001	30,085	31,216	–	12,000	12,000	14,525
Tipperary JLC	–	44,962	8,500	1,500	8,500	8,500	8,500	8,500	8,500	8,500
Tipperary (NR) County Council	44,819	–	34,753	25,902	16,364	5,933	–	–	–	–
Tipperary (SR) County Council	31,696	–	40,044	47,183	26,696	26,696	26,696	26,696	13,348	26,696
Waterford County Council	36,320	16,921	50,081	29,875	16,132	4,424	–	3,801	–	–
Westmeath County Council	89,579	5,684	17,798	9,865	2,250	2,250	1,500	1,444	1,556	1,500
Wexford County Council	–	59,054	34,939	80,470	31,002	18,791	44,038	25,347	23,713	9,038
Wicklow County Council	7,191	5,381	5,405	4,915	4,417	8,337	3,532	–	–	–
Total	1,068,623	926,378	1,081,961	897,499	747,501	501,919	424,240	434,314	416,551	548,530

Note: All subsidy payments made to Dublin County Council have been apportioned between the three new Dublin authorities.