Ministers announce over €20,000 in funding for library supports in Offaly

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien TD, have today announced €700,000 in funding for library supports.

Offaly has been allocated a whopping €24,305 in funding for library supports.

The following projects in Offaly have been allocated funding under the Dormant Accounts Action Plan:

The STEAM programme based in primary schools in DEIS areas will receive €6,000 to give children the opportunity to engage with and explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths subjects in a fun and stimulating environment. A brochure will be produced highlighting all the workshops and their corresponding national festival.

The Age Friendly Seating and Wayfinding project has been granted €5,555 to provide age friendly seating and wayfinding.

The Times Table Rock Stars & Reading Eggs Licences project has secured €5,500 in funding to provide 20 Times Tables Rock Stars school licences and 15 Reading Eggs school licences for one year. TTRS is numeracy based with a carefully sequenced programme of daily times tables practice either in paper form or online. Reading Eggs is a literacy based app designed for 2-12 year-olds to assist with phonics skill learning and reading.

Finally a joint Parenting Programme in Laois and Offfaly will obtain €7,250 under the scheme for a programme which consists of a free series of talks/workshops from expert professionals in the field of parenting and will take place in person and online via Zoom. It includes support for parents at every stage of their children’s development from babies/preschool to school age/teenage years.

The funding, under the Dormant Accounts Action Plan, is designed to assist libraries in reaching out to older people, children from disadvantaged communities, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

This year, a number of libraries submitted projects designed to reach out to Ukrainian families who are living in Ireland after fleeing the war.

Announcing the funding, Minister Humphreys said:

“I am delighted today to announce €700,000 in funding to libraries across the country.

“The sort of innovative projects that are being funded under this initiative will create a more welcoming and engaging library experience for thousands of people.

“They will put our libraries at the forefront of reaching out to all members of the local community in which they serve.

“I would really encourage families to look at the projects being funded in their own county. Comic Book Clubs for Children with Dyslexia, Online in No Time Courses for older citizens, and Sign Language Storytime are just a few examples of the great supports this funding will allow our libraries across the country to host.

“While this funding is small in nature, it will have a big impact in terms of improving people’s lives. I want to pay tribute and thank all our library staff, who play such an important role in cities, towns and villages right across the country.”

Commenting on the funding, Minister O’Brien said:

“I am delighted to approve these projects under the 2022 Dormant Accounts Action Plan. The projects are diverse in nature and target a multiplicity of groups including the Traveller community, Ukrainians displaced by war, residents of Direct Provision Centres and the elderly. There is also funding for groups working to provide autism supports, and groups working with hearing and visually impaired communities, prisoners and people with learning differences such as dyslexia. This funding package will build on the excellent projects which have been delivered over the past three years and also help our public libraries to continue to foster community well-being and build community cohesion in their role as community hubs.”

The funding will provide:

€400,000 for events and programmes which reach out to marginalised, socially excluded and disadvantaged communities.

€150,000 for the provision of digital equity and sensory equipment which will improve accessibility to public library services for people with a disability and those with sensory needs, autism, or older members of our community.

€150,000 for the provision of literacy supports in tandem with the national Right to Read Programme such as literacy, numeracy, digital skills licences.

Minister O’Brien added:

“I am particularly pleased that this funding supports the installation of equipment in public libraries which will improve accessibility for people with a disability, sensory needs, autism, and older members of our community. I also welcome the many initiatives that are being delivered to support the Ukrainian community who have arrived here over the past few months. Our public libraries are welcoming and inclusive spaces and it is important that everybody can avail of the services that they provide.”