Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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217. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide a breakdown, by county, of the €33 million allocated by her Department to the public libraries capital programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10287/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Local Government Act 2001, the provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities.

Under the 2018-2022 Library Capital Programme, my department awarded capital funding towards 17 major library construction and refurbishment projects, in addition to funding towards the replacement of library vehicles and the installation of My Open Library and IT facilities. 

On 23 February, I announced that I would shortly be seeking proposals from local authorities for a new five-year Libraries Capital Programme.  Full details will issue to the local authorities in the coming weeks. Applications received will be assessed by my department, in conjunction with the Libraries Development Unit of the Local Government Management Agency. Following this assessment, I will announce the projects that are to be awarded funding under the new five year Libraries Capital Programme.