Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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201. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will suspend any proposals to amalgamate library services across county boundaries leading to a centralisation of management, with a significant negative impact for localities and where no cost-benefit analysis of such proposals has been produced to date; and if he will engage in a comprehensive way with the trade union representatives to explore worthy alternatives to these proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18240/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Proposals to introduce changes to the library management model are outlined in the report Managing the Delivery of Effective Library Services.

The proposed operating model seeks to put in place planning and implementation arrangements that will deliver more effective and efficient public libraries with a view to securing the delivery of an enhanced quality and range of services. This will ensure the long-term sustainability of the library service in Ireland. It does not involve the closure of libraries nor will it require a reduction of the library services available in those areas, in fact, the model seeks to enhance the services that are available. The proposed operating model was developed on foot of a risk assessment. A cost-benefit analysis was not carried out as the reforms were identified as a means for achieving a greater and more equitable standard of library service rather than the requirement to drive greater cost efficiency.

Over the last number of months my Department has been engaging with the respective local authorities to explore the implementation of the revised operating model. We are open to working with the local authorities concerned and if an alternative approach, that yields the same result, is suggested we will consider this and work with the parties involved to achieve the best possible outcome for all concerned.