IMPACT’s local government division has launched a campaign to highlight concerns about proposals to amalgamate libraries in order to bring the number of library services in the country from 32 to 23. 

The counties set to amalgamate are Cavan/Monaghan, Laois/Offaly, Longford/Westmeath, Carlow/Kilkenny, Cork City/County, and Sligo/Leitrim/Roscommon. This would mean that whilst money is provided for the service by one local authority, another would manage the service.

Peter Nolan, national secretary for the division said “There are legitimate fears about the future of local library services, as the new governance structure would be outside the remit of public representative advocacy and local authority influence.”

IMPACT is concerned that the proposed library amalgamations represents the further steady erosion of responsibilities in local authorities. Peter said “Local authorities have been divested of their responsibilities for Irish Water, higher education grants and driver licensing. We do not want to see another service removed” he said.

Peter explained that the only direct cost saving outlined in the proposals are from the suppression of a county librarian post. Peter said “no cost benefit analysis has been carried out, while the merger of two or three library services in this way will result in a loss of expertise at the highest level and, ultimately, lead to a reduced service to the public. 

“There are a number of back office solutions which could create cost savings and need to be explored. Amalgamation of library services under the banner of two to three counties is not a solution if it risks diluting the service and losing expertise” he said.

Seventeen million visits are made to public libraries each year. Peter added “They are one of the main social hubs of the rural community. We cannot allow the library system to be gutted for the sake of number crunching and minimal cost savings.”