Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)
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177. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the proposal by a former Minister (details supplied), whereby the Office of Public Works would take charge of the Bolton Library, Cashel, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17861/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that in May 2010 the then Minister of State at the Department of Finance with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Mr. Martin Mansergh TD, announced that the OPW would take the Bolton Library in Cashel in its charge and would work with the Church of Ireland, who are the owners, and the University of Limerick, to secure the future of the collection and facilitate its future storage, conservation, exhibition and research.

In the period immediately following this announcement, it became clear that the very considerable resources necessary to undertake this project were not available owing to the difficult Exchequer position at the time and the consequent significant restriction on funding to the Office of Public Works. Throughout this period however, it was also clear that the Bolton Library collection continued to be under direct threat of damage arising from its being housed in very unsuitable accommodation in a building next to the Church of Ireland Cathedral in Cashel and that a viable solution to its future care needed to be found urgently.

Following further consideration of the position in 2012 and 2013, the Office of Public Works advised the Church of Ireland that it was not in a position to proceed with the proposal outlined by the previous Minister and indicated that it would be withdrawing from direct participation in it. However, understanding that the Church was proposing to return to an earlier proposal of its own to secure the future of the collection with the direct assistance of the University of Limerick, the OPW also agreed to assist practically in any way possible and to work with the owners of the collection, once it had been safeguarded, to facilitate the exhibition of parts of the Library and allow the public to access it.

I understand that at this stage, the owners of the Bolton Library are in discussions with the University of Limerick in relation to the future conservation of the Library. The Office of Public Works is not directly involved therefore at this point.