Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

I am extremely proud of the quality of libraries that are opening up across our country. I am proud of their beauty and the essential role they play. I believe libraries are cradles of decency and learning. We have shown that in our investment in our library programme in recent years.

On the particular library referenced by the Deputy in Cork, we need local authorities to make decisions on the allocation of funding and the projects that they wish to prioritise. As the Deputy says, I can imagine that the cost has gone up because of construction inflation. All public and private construction projects have had to confront that. I will make sure the Minister for housing and local government is made aware of this. He has many competing demands at the moment but he and the Government are doing their best to manage them. We have made good progress with libraries in our country and we will continue to do this. I am proud of them. We need more of them.

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