Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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277. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if County Cavan library headquarters will retain its current status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5343/15]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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278. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if County Monaghan library headquarters will retain its current status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5344/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 278 together.

The report Managing the Delivery of Effective Library Servicescontains detailed arrangements for the planning and implementation of new structures in order to establish stronger, more effective and efficient public libraries and deliver better library services to local communities and citizens, in line with Government policy on public sector reform.

The initiative is the outcome of a considered and thorough review of the library service and in-depth consultation with stakeholders, which established the need for scale in the management of a modern library service. The increased capacity resulting from the new structures will increase the scope for developing and enhancing services to the public, providing a broader range of services to the same high standard across the country.

In this context, a central management team with an enhanced management structure will be established for Cavan and Monaghan. The new management structure will be led by one county librarian and will be based in a single library headquarters, the location of which will be a matter for local decision between the respective local authorities. The new management structure will facilitate a more efficient allocation of functions across senior management, will enable greater strategic planning and ensure a better focus on, and delivery of, an increased range of services to the public.

There will be no decrease in the number of library services or library branches. The role of each local authority and their public representatives will be safeguarded and there will be no erosion of either local authority’s responsibilities. The provision of a library service will continue to be a core local authority function and each library service and library branch will continue to be locally branded and identified with the individual local authority. Each local authority will also continue to be responsible for policies, priorities and budgets for their library services to reflect local needs, priorities and resources. The county librarian for the new structures will be responsible to and available to each county council.