Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

My Department previously advised Cork City Council to consider submitting an application for funding for the Blackrock-Mahon library to the urban regeneration and development fund, which is administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Our Department will certainly progress the stage 1 application as swiftly as we can. I encourage Cork City Council to engage in that quickly. At the moment, there is not an allocation for that project, but things can change. It is a four- or five-year window and, while it has been allocated now, things can change and Cork City Council would be wise to have everything lined up in case things change and there is potential for an allocation during that four-year period.

It is important to say, and the Deputy is aware of this as well, that local authorities have primary responsibility with regard to the roll-out of the library service but we are happy to support them whatever way we can in the Department.

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