Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 January 2024
68. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her views on the need to provide capital funding for new library buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4303/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Minister will be aware, I raised this issue with her previously. It potentially relates to a number of locations. I have a particular interest in the proposed library and youth centre that is proposed for the Mahon area in my constituency. When the library capital funding was announced late last year, there was approximately €100 million to be allocated over five years.
That will fund the local library service but there are also about 33 smaller projects. For the larger capital asks there is not a substantial amount left. Realistically, one project would take the amount that is left even though there are probably three or four potential projects that would require that funding.
Our public libraries are at the heart of our communities. They are multipurpose social, cultural and educational spaces for the whole community to enjoy. There are 330 public libraries providing an excellent service throughout the country. My Department has provided significant capital funding to support public libraries with funding of €29 million being provided to local authorities under the previous libraries capital programme 2016-2022.
One of the key strategic actions of the new public library strategy, The Library is the Place, which I launched in July last year, is the development of a new libraries capital programme, which will align with the strategy. There is a further €33.1 million in the capital envelope for public libraries for the 2023-2027 period. The capital programme will cofund investment by local authorities in new library buildings, refurbishments, extensions and building acquisitions.
Last year, my Department invited all local authorities to submit applications for the new library capital programme. An assessment of the proposals received is nearing completion and I hope to be in a position to announce the successful infrastructure projects shortly.
My Department is also investing significantly in the development of libraries through the rural regeneration and development fund which has provided over €57 million to develop and deliver libraries across rural Ireland. I was delighted to announce the fifth call for category 1 applications to the rural regeneration and development fund in 2023. This call is for large scale projects that will help revitalise our rural towns and villages, including libraries. The closing date for applications is 8 February 2024.
Our libraries do a great deal of work and much of it is unheralded. People think of books and so on but it is often the place where people who do not have access to printers have their forms printed out. People have access to e-books and audio books, which is crucial thing. They are unsung heroes of the public service in many ways.
There are a number of locations across the State where there is a large and growing population, especially a growing young population, where there is a complete lack of provision. One of those places is in my constituency, in the south east of the city in the Mahon-Blackrock area. That ward does not have a library at the moment. Large parts of it have a young population. The current proposal also includes a youth centre. It is a long-standing demand. A site has been identified but there is a concern that if a request is put in for €10 million, €12 million or something in that region, there will not be adequate capital funding once all the smaller projects come out.
Like the Deputy, I am a big fan of the libraries. They do absolutely fantastic work. The image some of us used to have of libraries as a stuff, boring place is well gone. Libraries, as we know, are a hive of activity for all the community. You have young and old people going in who learn computer skills and take language classes. There are book clubs which are a great way to meet people. There is a big focus on hosting heritage events in our libraries now and there is also a big cultural offering. The libraries are at the centre of culture night, as the Deputy will know.
Between the library capital programme and the rural regeneration fund together, €86 million has been invested in major library capital projects in recent years. It is not that long ago since I was in Kinsale where they have done a great job with a new library in what was an old mill. It was a €4.8 million project which absolutely transformed that whole area and brought it back to use. I will come back on the Deputy’s local place in a moment.
While the capital funding that is available is welcome, if the number of projects that are needed come in for a certain amount of funding, they will not get anywhere near what they require because of the level of need that is there. That is particularly in areas where there is no provision whatsoever, in those four or five communities around the State where there is no provision whatsoever and where they need something brand new. The intention in many cases is that libraries need to be colocated with youth services. That would be brilliant for the Mahon community, which is a community with a lot of young people and which has a lot of challenges. It would have been a RAPID area where those designations existed. This would also serve the Blackrock and Ballinlough area nearby too. I acknowledge that it is an area where there have been modular homes for Ukrainians and they have been accommodated very well.
On the funding, I think another envelope could be looked at for larger capital projects. For clarity, however, is it possible to apply under the urban regeneration fund? Are there obstacles for library applications for that?
Cork City Council did not submit an application for funding for the Blackrock-Mahon library under the libraries capital programme 2023-2027 on this occasion. The discussions regarding a potential site had not been concluded before a submission date, which is fair enough. My Department previously advised Cork County Council to consider submitting an application for the Blackrock-Mahon library to the urban regeneration and development fund which is administer by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The council has been advised of the requirement to progress the Blackrock-Mahon library project through my Department’s four-stage capital management process. I understand the local authority plans to submit a stage 1 application for approval in principle to my Department. This is to ensure the project complies with the public library standards and benchmarks which seek to secure a very high standard of infrastructure and service development across the service. Basically, talk to my Department. The council can put in a big capital application to the urban fund because over a certain size, my rural regeneration fund does not cover it.
