Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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1122. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if libraries can operate an online click and collect system for book borrowing during the level 5 public health restrictions. [10003/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department has policy responsibility for public libraries and the provision of public library services is a matter for each local authority in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001.

The ‘Plan for Living with COVID-19’, issued by Government, states that all indoor museums, galleries and other cultural attractions such as libraries are closed to the public under Level 5, with public libraries only being permitted to provide online services. As a result, it is not possible to provide a click and collect service for book borrowing under the current level 5 restrictions.

However, there is an excellent online library service in which my Department invested some €400,000 during 2020. This provides access to more than 47,000 eBooks and 35,000 eAudiobooks, 4,000 magazines, 2,400 online newspapers from over 100 countries, more than 500 e-learning courses and 100 online language courses.

In addition, currently more than half of our library authorities are delivering library stock to the housebound and vulnerable under the Community Call initiative. Many are also delivering book bags and activity packs to children and the elderly so that they do not lose the love of reading and connection to their library during this difficult time.