Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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154. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the communication his Department has had with Fingal County Council in relation to assisting them to deal with the crisis in the operation of libraries as a result of retiring librarians who have not been replaced as a result of the recruitment embargo. [42297/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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My Department operates a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for implementation of the moratorium in relation to local authorities. Any exceptions to the moratorium in local authorities require sanction from my Department.

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each City and County 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 City and County Managers, in the first instance, to ensure that the moratorium is implemented while the appropriate service levels are maintained.

My Department examines all staffing sanction requests on a case by case basis having due regard to the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests public safety, maintaining key front line services, and economic issues are given precedence.

In relation to the specific posts referred to in the question , my Department recently sanctioned two library assistant posts on a permanent basis for Fingal County Council.