Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 167: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to local authorities funding difficulties particularly Donegal County Council in retaining the library services due to the recruitment embargo and retirement of staff; and his strategy to ensure that public libraries are manned and retained to a satisfactory service level for the public. [9050/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was introduced in March 2009. My Department operates a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for implementation of the moratorium in relation to local authorities, and any exceptions to the moratorium in the local government sector require sanction from my Department.

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each County and City Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for County and City Managers, in the first instance, to ensure that the moratorium is implemented while the appropriate service levels are maintained.

When vacancies arise, public bodies must initially seek to reallocate staff and/or re-organise work or staff accordingly. In exceptional circumstances a request for sanction to fill a post may be made to my Department. In considering sanction requests public safety, maintaining key front line services and economic issues are given precedence as is the requirement to avoid increases in overall staffing levels.

Day to day operations, including staffing levels and opening hours, in the public library service are a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under Section 78 of the Local Government Act 2001.

My Department has provided funding towards the capital costs of approved new libraries and the refurbishment of existing libraries along with funding for mobile libraries and delivery vans.

The library service provides very valuable social, educational and cultural services to communities around the country and local authorities continue to make every effort to deliver appropriate services within budgetary constraints.