Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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375. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will immediately release funds from the small-scale capital works programme in order to bring public toilets at a location (details supplied) up to standard and or back in use. [59933/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The provision of public library services is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Therefore, works on the toilet facilities in Bray Library are the responsibility of Wicklow County Council.

As a measure under the Libraries Capital Programme, my department approved funding of €3m for a Small-Scale Capital Works programme for public libraries in 2020. Wicklow County Council were awarded the maximum grant amount of €100,000 and a portion of this funding supported the installation of perspex screens and bike lockers at Bray Library. The Libraries Capital Programme is currently fully allocated so no further funding is available for new projects.

A new Libraries Capital Programme is expected to commence in 2023 and this will provide funding for public libraries capital projects for the next five years. It is possible that there may be a Call for Proposals for a Small-Scale Capital Works programme in public libraries during the lifetime of the new Libraries Capital Programme, and should this be the case, proposals may be submitted by Wicklow County Council at that time.