Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

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?

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