Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)

My question today is about the new Cork city library. Four years ago, the Taoiseach, Deputy Martin, announced €50 million would be spent transforming Grand Parade and providing a new public library, a new central plaza and a boardwalk. The vision was big. We were promised a new 7,700 sq. m library with capacity for 1 million visitors per year, but like so many other key capital projects for Cork, the Government has failed to deliver. The promised new library is nowhere to be seen. In the four years since, inflation has soared and the project is now short. The current library is not fit for purpose. The roof leaks and parts of the building have been closed to the public. Cork deserves a world-class library - a cultural and community space in the heart of the city. A 21st century library could be more than a library of books; it could be a library of things. Will the Minister engage with Cork City Council on this key project and, crucially, will he provide the additional funding required to deliver this world-class library for Cork city?

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