Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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919. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if funding will be provided for the provision of a new public library in Stillorgan, County Dublin as included as a project in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12952/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The provision of premises and facilities in the public library service is generally a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. Accordingly, the development of the proposed library in Stillorgan is primarily a matter for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

My Department funds a Libraries Capital Investment Programme, announced in 2016, that will invest some €22m in 16 or so projects, as well as the My Open Library service, over the period 2016 to 2021. The programme was developed on the basis of priority proposals submitted by local authorities. Stillorgan library was not submitted as a priority by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in 2016 and, therefore, could not be considered for funding under the programme.

In late 2017, my Department received a proposal from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown seeking funding for a new library in Stillorgan. While the current libraries capital programme is currently fully committed, funding for the new library could be considered were additional funds to become available.