AFTER LYING idle for the last nine months, one of the State’s most expensive libraries will open to the public in Rush, north Co Dublin tomorrow.
The library, which cost more than €3 million to build, has been ready to open since September 2009, but Fingal County Council could not staff the facility because of the public service recruitment embargo and public sector industrial action.
The endorsement of the Croke Park agreement allowed the council to redeploy staff from other libraries in north Dublin.
Due to the industrial dispute in the public service, employees could not be redeployed from other departments to staff the library.
However, four librarians and one porter will now operate a restricted service at Rush library, of around 31 hours per week.
A spokeswoman for Fingal County Council said the installation of automated self-service systems in other libraries in north Dublin, facilitated the redeployment of staff.
The library will initially operate a basic hours service, and introduce an extended hours service, which would include weekends and late closing on some weekdays in the near future, said the spokeswoman.
Stocked with about 20,000 books and some 3,000 audio-visual items, the library is one of the most modern facilities in the Republic.
Ken Farrell, the Mayor of Rush said he understood the council’s explanation as to why it was operating a basic service, but wants to see an extended service offered when extra staff becomes available for redeployment.
The village’s 19th century, St Maur’s Church, was restored and redesigned, as a public library, at a cost of over €3 million, which was fully funded by Fingal County Council.
The library was one of nine Irish entries shortlisted for a World Architecture Award.
It also won the Best Conservation/Restoration award at the Irish Architecture Awards, held on June 21st.