Ministers Humphreys and O’Brien announce €700,000 in funding for library supports
- Published on: 4 August 2022
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
- funding to provide for range of equipment, classes and activities in libraries across the country
- focus on supporting children, the elderly, people with disabilities and the marginalised and disadvantaged communities
- projects also designed to reach out to Ukrainian families
- funding complements over €3.1 million announced by Minister Humphreys recently for major expansion of My Open Library
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, and Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien, have today (Thursday 4 August) announced €700,000 in funding for library supports.
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 funding 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.”
Examples of some of the successful projects are:
- Dun Laoghaire – Wraparound Service for Ukrainians - Family art therapy sessions, sensory storytime, and mindfulness. Family kite-making workshops, family build a bear teddy making workshops, family puppet shows, family yoga workshops, talks for parents from a native-speaking child psychologist on settling in to a new community and tips for adjusting to their new surroundings - €15,000
- Galway – Lego Play4All -LEGO play therapy is a relatively new field focused on helping children develop communication & social skills through LEGO play. Early studies have shown positive impacts for the children involved and it has grown in popularity among play therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists and more. Facilitated by Bricks4Kidz - €8,125
- Carlow - Sensory Wall & Sensory Toys -Creation of a sensory wall with additional toys to support the children and parents with development of skills including gross motor, fine motor, communication & visual perception skills - €5,150
- Cavan - Build a Bodhrán - 12-18 year olds from DEIS schools will work with a master bodhrán player in assembling a drum from scratch and learn playing techniques along the way - €7,898
- Limerick – Outreach to Men’s/Women’s Sheds - Tailored workshops, seminars and events on wellbeing, staying active, digital literacy, book groups and writer visits, handcraft and artwork workshops to various shed groups around the county - €7,992
- Louth – Strum4Fun - The aim is to provide this target group with a space to get together, meet others and enjoy the musical activities of the course. This course will be tailored to the needs of the adults attending and will promote positivity and community engagement - €2,760
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:
(i) €400,000 for events and programmes which reach out to marginalised, socially excluded and disadvantaged communities.
(ii) €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.
(iii) €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.”
The Ministers also thanked the local authorities and the library staff for their ongoing commitment and support to the public library service.
Notes
Contact details for all public libraries are available on https://www.librariesireland.ie/ or local authority websites.
Funding overview
A table detailing the full list of projects
Programming which reaches out to marginalised, socially excluded and disadvantaged communities
The aim of this funding is to:
- provide access to educational supports including STEAM, lifelong learning, social inclusion, and community participation supports
- provide supports for the unemployed / jobseekers in line with the national Work Matters Programme
- provide literacy supports in tandem with the national Right to Read Programme
- support digital literacy
- provide supports in tandem with the Sensory Libraries initiative
Digital equity and social inclusion
This funding will support the provision of modern equipment in public libraries that improves accessibility for people with a disability and those with sensory needs, autism, or older members of our community. It includes Assistive Technology which is equipment that can help a person with a disability perform activities that might not otherwise be possible. Assistive products maintain or improve an individual’s functioning and independence, thereby promoting their well-being, for example: assistive devices and headphones that will enable the visually impaired to use library resources, wheelchair-accessible shelving, customizable workstations and wayfinding and so on.
Literacy supports
This funding will support the provision of literacy and digital skills licences by Library Authorities which can be used in public libraries, schools, Afterschool Clubs or by individuals. The aim of this funding is to provide literacy supports in tandem with the national Right-to-Read Programme,
How to join your library online
Library membership is completely free of charge for everyone in every public library in the country. If you are not yet a library member, you can join now by following the instructions below:
- complete the online form at the following address: www.librariesireland.ie/join
- you will be assigned a temporary library number and you can set up a library PIN. With those, you'll be able to access all of the online services listed in this document immediately, all completely free of charge
If you are having trouble joining online, you can contact your library by phone or email. You can also email info@librariesireland.ie for assistance.
If you are already a library member, you can access all of the online services shown in this document by following the instructions provided for each one. These can be accessed at this address: https://www.librariesireland.ie/elibrary