Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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933. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on mobile libraries; the funding available to upgrade vans used for mobile libraries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19953/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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There are currently 30 mobile libraries in operation, including one mobile shared cross-border between Donegal County Council and the library service in Northern Ireland.

The determination of priorities for library development is a matter for each local authority. The April 2015 Library Development Programme Guidelines provide that each local authority’s library development programme should define the authority’s plan for developing the library service infrastructure, including, where appropriate, mobile libraries, outlining the prioritised development objectives identified.

The preparation of the next capital programme for library development is currently underway. Under the current capital programme guidelines, mobile libraries may be grant-aided up to 100% for approved expenditure, and where this level of support is not available from the capital programme, it is a matter for the relevant local authority to provide the balance.