Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1463. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if County Cavan will retain its county library service and headquarters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34914/14]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1464. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if County Monaghan will regain its county library service and headquarters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34915/14]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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1523. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to explain the position on the sharing of library services between counties Laois and Offaly; if a ministerial order or legislation is required to deal with this; the criteria as to which local authority will be the lead authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33712/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1463, 1464 and 1523 together.

Opportunities for All, a Strategy for Public Libraries 2013-2017, recommends “a review of existing organisation structures ... to establish stronger, more effective and efficient public libraries in the context of local government reform and shared services and new opportunities afforded by the strategy outcomes”.

A working group was established to examine the potential for shared services in the public library service. The working group determined that the current structures in terms of organisation, workforce and service delivery are in need of reform in order for the public library service to be in a position to maximise service delivery opportunities and achieve best outcomes in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and customer service. The key challenge in the present structure is the need for the creation of scale for existing library authorities. In order to achieve this, the Working Group determined that a new shared services structure for library authorities should be established, with a minimum population target of 100,000 as an appropriate basis for determining a libraries’ shared services structure, including Laois/ Offaly and Cavan/Monaghan, library services, delivering single management structures with consequent resource efficiencies.

The establishment of shared services arrangements for local authorities is already provided for under the Local Government Acts 1925 to 2014.

The principles for the finalisation of the identified shared services have been approved by the County and City Management Association and my Department and it is a matter for local decision as to which local authority would be the lead library authority in individual shared service arrangements.