Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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1160. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason a book written here must be approved and purchased by a company (details supplied) in the UK before a supply and purchase can be made by county council libraries nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24612/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The provision and management of public library services is primarily a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. This includes the purchase of public library book-stock which, in 2016, was subject to a national tender run by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of the 31 local authorities.

The LGMA had sole responsibility for managing the tender competition and the post-tender contracting process. Four suppliers were awarded contracts on foot of the tender process and these are managed by the LGMA on behalf of local authorities.

There is no requirement in these contracts for specific books to be approved by the contract holders. In the case of a local publication or a self-publication of limited availability, there is provision for a local authority to exercise its own discretion and purchase such book-stock directly, subject to the usual public sector purchasing requirements.