Library concerns raised at meeting

RESIDENTS in North County Dublin attended a public meeting last week to voice concerns over a potential move of their local library to Fingal County Council’s headquarters.

Speculation is growing that Swords Library may be moved from its current base at Rathbeale Road to Fingal County Hall on Main Street in the future.

The council confirmed that it is currently considering a number of outline proposals

“to re-order space and usage

? of County Hall.

United Left TD Clare Daly and her Swords local election team hosted the meeting last Monday week (September 16) at St Colmcille’s GAA Club.

At the meeting, it was agreed that residents across Swords should engage with the council on the issue. Locals were urged to insist that the stakeholders would be consulted in advance of any decision, and were told that the community deserved a major facility in a strategic location in the town.

It was also agreed to contact council officials with a synopsis of the ideas discussed.

Declan McCool, from Swords Manor, is a regular user of the library and attended the meeting.

Mr McCool, who is studying International Relations at DCU, believes that moving the facility to Fingal County Hall wouldn’t be practical.

“It would be completely unreasonable,

? he told Northside People.

“The issue needs to be seen in the context of the overall attacks on education and other self-training tools.

“Against the backdrop of the economic recession, now is the time when people need library facilities even more so.

?

Mr McCool said that

“rather than lowering our horizons

?, a substantial library service should be developed to serve the large population of Swords.

He added there were vacant buildings in Swords Village that could be used to house the library.

“Or the council could look at building a new one,

? he suggested.

“It would bring more people into the village.

“For the amount of people living in Swords, the current facility is not up to standard. We need a new facility that would have a broader range of books, a community space, cultural space, gallery, Wi-Fi and computer space.

?

Mr McCool added:

“It would also be more beneficial for people living in the likes of Rivervalley, Swords Manor and Applewood to have a new library in the centre of the village.

?

A spokeswoman for Fingal County Council said it was currently considering a number of outline proposals to re-order space and usage of County Hall.

“The overall objective is to facilitate changes such as the increase in numbers of elected members which will take effect following the 2014 Local Elections, and to also maximise the use of available space in the building,

? she told Northside People.

“These changes will allow us the opportunity to re-animate the connection between the local authority as a service provider and the citizens of Fingal and is in keeping with our stated aim to regenerate movement and business of Swords Main Street/North Street.

“One such consideration is the location of Swords Library which is currently based in a leased building on Rathbeale Road.

?

The spokeswoman said the lease is due to expire in 2017 which will allow the council an opportunity to consider the optimum location for Swords Library.

“Any future decision on the location of the library will be an informed one taking all matters (including car parking availability and access) into account, and will also be on the basis of providing an even better service for the town,

? she added.

“Councillors and public representatives will be kept informed as matters progress.

?

Ken Doyle, a candidate for United Left in the Swords ward for next year’s local elections, said the possibility of the current library being relocated to the County Hall would be

“completely unacceptable

?.

“We believe that this option will not work and would detract people from accessing the very important array of services and initiatives which are undertaken in the present library,

? Mr Doyle told Northside People.

“We will be strenuously working with local residents to ensure that this option is not pursued further.

?