Vol. 499 No. 2
56 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of applications in his Department for new library buildings and refurbishment; the capital allocation for library services in 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2065/99]
At present, there are 41 applications at various stages of planning for the construction or renovation of library buildings before my Department. The capital allocation for this programme has been increased from £2.76 million in 1998 to £7.2 million in the current year.
I launched the Public Library Review Group report, Branching Out, last November. The report makes a number of recommendations to improve and update the public library service, some of which, including the provision of additional capital funding for libraries, are already being implemented.
