Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter. I am delighted to have the chance to talk about our national cultural institutions, particularly the National Library of Ireland, which on 20 November was granted permission by Dublin City Council for the redevelopment of the Kildare Street west wing refurbishment. The last time I asked out the national cultural institutions on a Commencement matter was 26 May, so I am delighted to be here this year to talk about the NLI. I was looking over the application to Dublin City Council, the planning permission that was granted. The development will consist of the conservation, refurbishment and adaptation of the existing west wing of the National Library of Ireland, the former book storage facility which some members of the culture committee had the chance in the last term to view. There will be a reconfigured entrance ramp off Kildare Street, a rear courtyard, the construction of a new six-storey circulation core, an extension in the rear courtyard. The proposal will provide new cultural experience comprising exhibition spaces, education spaces, café space, retail space, public facilities and ancillary accommodation. There will be a partial removal of the existing cast iron floor structure at mezzanine levels and its reuse within the proposal encompassing structural upgrade works to support these floors. I am kind of geeking out on the planning application here, as Members will appreciate. It is a wonderful plan.

Democracy is built on the ability of citizens and residents to educate themselves and one another, and to make informed decisions. It follows that the library is one of the most, if not the most democratic of all our public institutions. This is the National Library of Ireland we are talking about. I am interested in the redevelopment plans that will truly democratise this institution. In 2018, as the Minister of State knows, the Government launched the Project Ireland 2040 plan for culture and heritage, including €460 million in investment for the national cultural institutions. Our NCIs are a precious resource. They protect, preserve and give access to our country's memory. They are centres of performance and learning and offer citizens and residents opportunities to unlock their creative potential.

In the remaining time I have, now that planning permission has been granted by Dublin City Council, I hope the Minister of State will be able to tell us when contracting and procurement will begin, and when the Department of public expenditure and the Department of culture will sign off on the moneys required for construction. What is the estimated cost of construction at this point? I saw this morning on the National Library's website that the library was established in 1877 by the Dublin Science and Art Museum Act. That means our national library in 2027 will be 150 years old. Is it the Minister of State's hope, as it is mine, for these works to be completed for the 150th anniversary? That would be something very special. I welcome the Minister of State's response on these issues and any indication of when plans and construction will begin.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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I thank the Acting Chair and Senator Warfield. I will provide an overview on reimagining the National Library of Ireland, NLI, capital development project under the national development plan as the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, cannot be with us today.

On completion the project will be the most significant investment in the National Library of Ireland since the main building on Kildare Street opened in 1890. To date, significant progress has been made on the NLI redevelopment project with the completion of the following elements so far. First, a new book repository opened in June of 2019 in the NLI's 1827 wing with state-of-the-art safety features. The repository effectively safeguards a substantial proportion of the national published collections bringing them from poor conditions into modern safe storage. The repository comprises 4,700 linear m of state-of-the-art storage with fire suppression installation and a system for early smoke detection.

Second, a new prints and drawing store was refurbished and fitted out in 2019. The NLI has more than 100,000 prints and drawings created by hundreds of artists and engravers. They are a fascinating visual record of Ireland from the 17th century to today. The collection includes individual prints, albums, original drawings, watercolours, architectural drawings, portraits and typographical works. The prints and drawings store is environmentally controlled and has been fitted with large dedicated storage cabinets suitable for storing this important collection.

Third, in 2023, a newly restored art room opened following the conversion of the large art book room from storage to a space for use as a visual collections reading room and reception space for communications and development activity. Despite the disruption of the pandemic to this development the space is now fitted with new lighting, CCTV, access control, automatic light-controlling blinds, and new bookshelves. The hardwood flooring was refinished and the room fully redecorated with furniture to make the space more suitable for the new intended uses.

Fourth, a new manuscript reading room can now be accessed by researchers via the interconnected NLI office building. It is accessible with a newly installed shared WC and high-performance vacuum glazing units, which significantly improve sound and thermal insulation. There are new power and data outlets as well as LED lighting. The desk lighting was designed and built in Ireland and incorporates 3D- printed bespoke parts in addition to traditional brass craftsmanship, acoustic insulation hanging on the walls to improve the acoustic properties of the room, and the ceiling lighting has been renewed with LED fittings along with new CCTV.

Next to the initial phase in the NLI redevelopment also involves a complete decant of the west wing and an audit of collections with 350,000 items stored in Victorian book stacks that were there since the building opened in the 19th century. There were no environmental controls and no fire measures whatsoever as well as open Victorian drains. All of the contents of the west wing have now been moved out and stacks and shelving have been removed as part of the initial phase of redevelopment. Following the decant of the west wing opening up works and surveys commenced to determine in greater detail the condition of the building including the roof, windows and structure. Soil investigation established the ground and boundary conditions to inform the design process for the proposed extension. Non-original partitions and fittings were removed and new fire separation works were installed to ensure adequate fire safety separation between the planned construction area and the rest of the NLI main building, which continues to operate in public services.

Upgrading measures have been undertaken, including the provision of secondary window glazing, to contribute to thermal and acoustic insulation providing an enhanced working environment. This and other measures have contributed to NLI having reduced its energy usage by the end of 2022 by over 52% compared to 2009. A new lecture theatre is currently under development and near completion. This ground floor facility will replace the pre-existing seminar room. Members will have been disappointed that the new lecture room was not available for the commemoration of the award of the Nobel Prize to William Butler Yeats who was a Member of this House. I understand that the OPW working with NLI will ensure that this facility will be available in 2024.

Finally, the NLI is currently going through the planning process for other elements of the library redevelopment and like many other capital projects construction inflation has increased the cost above the €23 million funding allocation provided for investing in our culture language and heritage. This is incorporated in the library's preliminary business case for further redevelopment presented to the Department recently. Additional costs will be subject of discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in the new year.

Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein)
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It is certainly not the Minister of State's fault but the Minister, Deputy Martin, and the Department have spectacularly avoided answering the only question that I asked on when construction will begin. All I can do is encourage the Department and say that I am sure they have the support of this House. The refurbishment of the National Gallery of Ireland led the way. It is a beautiful redevelopment showing what can be achieved with investment. Many of these institutions have never seen overall redevelopment. Promises have been made in the past and in many ways the Investing in our Culture, Language and Heritage 2018-2027 capital plan is a political wish list. These developments are critical not only for artefacts but also for universal access and for audience safety.

The Minister of State mentioned Yeats. The six floors will provide an exhibition space for the Yeats and Heaney exhibitions and space for poets and writers. Speaking selfishly as a Dub, this would be an incredible hub for our city.

There is one other issue that I want to put on record. The NLI has a responsibility to collect every publication in the State. They also purchase and get donations of collections. They do not, however, have a similar right when it comes to digital online material. These Houses need to give them that right under the copyright Acts to collect and preserve our country's memory given that online websites disappear every day, including repeal the 8th amendment websites and marriage equality websites. They are all disappearing and creating a black hole in our country's memory. We need to give the library a right to collect online material before we lose our nation's memory.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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As I have outlined, eight elements of the NLI redevelopment have been completed. The planning permission process is being worked through for the next element but until the library has permission and until it is approved by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, we will not know when construction is going to start. It is obviously a particular challenge to redevelop an historic library. On the one hand, we must preserve the heritage while, on the other, we want to make sure it is protected against fire and protect the vital assets. We also want to make it disability-friendly so the facilities are accessible. There are competing requirements there. It is a difficult thing to achieve but they are making progress.

The Senator made a very good point about digital archives. We know how long a sheet of paper or a piece of papyrus will last and we know that we can keep those things but how long will digitised formats last? He also made the point that as a copyright library, it is entitled to a copy of every published item in the UK or Ireland but does it have access to digitally published items? This is worth discussing. We are not going to do it right now but it is something for a committee to discuss, and maybe the committee that the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, sits on. It is a worthwhile question to raise.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. Well done to Senator Warfield for raising this extremely important issue today. I wish him and his family a very happy Christmas.