Offaly libraries under threat of amalgamation

Offaly, Laois, Westmeath and Longford are four of the 12 counties affected by plans to amalgamate library services.

The trade union IMPACT is demanding a reversal of the proposed amalgamations after 87% of library staff members backed industrial action.

What emerged from a meeting held yesterday by IMPACT'S Local Government Divisional Executive Committee, was that Local Government Management Association – the national voice of local authority management – failed to give a satisfactory assurances that local councils will keep control of their library services.

IMPACT says the proposals threaten local provision as library budgets come under increasing pressure.

The total local authorities affected are Offaly, Laois, Westmeath, Longford, Carlow, Cavan, Cork City, Cork County, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Monaghan, Roscommon, and Sligo.

IMPACT says the proposals, drawn up by a Dublin-based planning group, took little account of local needs and failed to include a cost-benefit analysis.

The union says neither staff nor local elected representatives have been properly consulted on the initiative, which has no statutory basis and could herald the end of local decision-making on library services.

There are also concerns over the impact of the proposals on staffing and career structures, and the possible relocation of staff across county boundaries.

40 staff members were balloted across library services in Longford and Westmeath and voted in favour of industrial action by a margin of 80%.