DÚN Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has been urged to step in and safeguard the old Carnegie Library on George’s Street.
The library was first opened in 1912 but was closed down by the council in 2014 following its move to the dlr Lexicon.
Now, Senator Victor Boyhan, a former county councillor, has written to the council expressing his concern about the fabric of the building. He has also reminded the council that as owners of the building it had a statutory responsibility to ensure that the designated Protected Structure was maintained and secured.
“Over two years ago the council told me that the Carnegie building required a complete overhaul to prevent further water ingress into the building,” Senator Boyhan states. “Now, two years on, no substantial work has taken place on the building.
“I am appealing to the council to engage with the community to find an appropriate use for the building so that it can be fully restored and brought back into public use in line with the broad objectives of the Carnegie Trust, who funded its original construction.”
A spokesperson for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said that following discussions and feedback from the Area Councillors at the workshops and at the Area Committee meetings, external architects had been appointed to oversee and design the essential works need to be carried out before the building can be considered for re use.
“The architects are currently working on this at present,” the spokesperson said. “Any works to the building are subject to funding being available to proceed, in line with the terms and conditions of the council’s approved Capital Programme.
“An update and further discussion on the former Carnegie Library is scheduled to take place at the next area committee meeting for Dún Laoghaire.”