Media release
Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Minister Calleary officially opens Ireland’s Newest Library
· Minister officially opens first ever library in Ballyogan, Dublin.
· First library to open that was approved funding under the new Libraries Capital Programme
· First library in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown with a dedicated sensory space, dedicated teen area, music studio and creative room
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has today (Wednesday, 26 March) officially opened Ireland’s newest library in Ballyogan, Dublin 18.
The library was supported by funding of €450,000 from the Department of Rural and Community Development’s new Libraries Capital Programme and is the first project approved under the programme to be completed.
The project transformed the sports gym in the Samuel Beckett Civic Campus into a state-of-the-art library which will be co-located in the building with a range of other services including the community centre, INTREO and the Family Resource Centre.
Speaking at the official opening in Ballyogan, Minister Calleary said:
“I’m delighted to officially open Ireland’s newest library facility in Ballyogan. Investing in our library service is a key priority for me as Minister and goes to the heart of our public library strategy.
“This library will provide outreach services to this community along with an opportunity for educational, cultural, upskilling, inclusion and literacy opportunities.”
It will be the first library in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown with a dedicated sensory space, dedicated teen area, music studio and creative room. It will provide new and innovative services such as creative tech classes, podcasting, and digital upskilling classes for older users.
The Minister also acknowledged the role of Dún Laoghaire-RathdownCounty Council staff and commended the collaboration between local and central government that has ensured the successful delivery of the new facility.
Minister Calleary added:
“One of the ambitions in the Public Library Strategy is that libraries will be a primary consideration in urban and rural regeneration planning and community development and I am delighted that Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have recognised the importance of this by establishing the first ever library in this community with a rapidly expanding population.
“I want to take this opportunity to once again thank our dedicated library staff across the country, who contribute so much to our public library service and our communities.”
An Leabharlann is Nuaí in Éirinn oscailte go hoifigiúil ag an Aire Calleary
· An chéad leabharlann riamh i mBaile Uí Ógáin, Baile Átha Cliath oscailte ag an Aire.
· An chéad leabharlann le hoscailt ar ceadaíodh maoiniú ina leith faoin chlár nua, Clár Caipitil na Leabharlann
· An chéad leabharlann i nDún Laoghaire-Ráth an Dúin le spás tiomanta na gcéadfaí, áit thiomanta do dhéagóirí, stiúideo ceoil agus seomra cruthaitheachta.
Inniu (Dé Céadaoin, 26 Márta) d’oscail an tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobal agus Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary TD, an leabharlann is nuaí in Éirinn go hoifigiúil i mBaile Uí Ógáin, Baile Átha Cliath 18.
Fuair an leabharlann tacaíocht mhaoinithe de €450,000 faoi chlár nua de chuid na Roinne Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobal, Clár Caipitil na Leabharlann, agus is é an chéad tionscadal arna cheadú faoin chlár a tugadh i gcrích.
Faoin tionscadal, athraíodh an halla spóirt i Lárionad Cathartha Samuel Beckett go hiomlán ina leabharlann den chéad scoth, a bheidh suite san fhoirgneamh in éineacht le raon seirbhísí eile cosúil leis an ionad pobail, INTREO agus an tIonad Acmhainní Teaghlaigh.
Agus é ag labhairt ag an oscailt oifigiúil i mBaile Uí Ógáin, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Is cúis áthais dom an leabharlann is nuaí in Éirinn a oscailt go hoifigiúil i mBaile Uí Ógáin. Is príomhthosaíocht dom mar Aire infheistiú a dhéanamh inár seirbhís leabharlainne agus is cuid lárnach dár straitéis leabharlainne poiblí é.
“Cuirfidh an leabharlann seo seirbhísí for-rochtana ar fáil don bpobal seo chomh maith le deiseanna oideachais, cultúir, uasoiliúna, ionchuimsithe agus litearthachta.”
Beidh sí ar an chéad leabharlann i nDún Laoghaire-Rath an Dúin ina mbeidh spás tiomanta na gcéadfaí, láthair thiomanta do dhéagóirí, stiúideo ceoil agus seomra cruthaitheachta. Cuirfidh sí seirbhísí nua agus nuálacha ar fáil cosúil le ranganna teicneolaíochta cruthaithí, podchraoltóireacht, agus ranganna uasoiliúna digití d’úsáideoirí níos sine.
Thug an tAire aitheantas freisin do ról fhoireann Chomhairle Contae Dhún Laoghaire-Ráth an Dúin agus mhol sé an comhar idir rialtas lárnach agus rialtas áitiúil lenar cinntíodh go gcríochnaíodh an áis nua go rathúil.
Dúirt an tAire Calleary é seo chomh maith:
“Ceann de mhianta Straitéis na Leabharlann Poiblí ná go mbeidh leabharlanna i measc na bpríomhghnéithe i bpleanáil athnuachana uirbigh agus tuaithe agus i bpleanáil phobail, agus is cúis áthais dom go bhfuil aitheantas tugtha ag Comhairle Contae Dhún Laoghaire-Ráth an Dúin don tábhacht a bhaineann leis sin tríd an chéad leabharlann riamh sa phobal seo, a bhfuil daonra s’aige ag dul i méid go mór, a chur ar bun.
“Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a thapú chun mo bhuíochas a ghabháil arís lenár bhfoirne leabharlainne díograiseacha, a chuireann go mór mór lenár seirbhís leabharlainne poiblí agus lenár bpobail.”