Balbriggan Library

cailinoBAC

As I'm not living in Balbriggan at the moment I'm not really sure how possible this is, but I saw this group on Facebook suggesting that the library would be moved from the current building and to me that just sounds awful so I thought I would share in case anybody else felt the same way.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fingal-Council-moving-Balbriggan-library/250256341816500

blastman

This is worth a read, confirming what everyone already knew about the town commissioners:

http://www.franksnowe.com/148532768/1630810/posting/text

There's a petition here that could do with a few more signatures:

https://www.change.org/petitions/balbriggan-and-north-county-dublin-residents-stop-the-move

Fingal CC have already destroyed the centre of the town, this would wipe it out completely. They've already shown over and over that they give less than a sh!t about public opinion in Balbriggan (the removal of steps at the harbour recently being the latest example), it's time a very firm message was sent.

firsttimemammy

I've just signed the petition there!

rpurfield

Meeting in The Milestone on Wednesday at 8pm to try and bring some sort of resistance to the move together.

SpatialPlanner

rpurfield wrote: »

Meeting in The Milestone on Wednesday at 8pm to try and bring some sort of resistance to the move together.

Who's hosting the meeting?

cailinoBAC

My musings on this topic...
http://theunreadbookshelf.wordpress.com/2014/01/15/the-library-of-unrequited-love/

rpurfield

SpatialPlanner wrote: »

Who's hosting the meeting?

not really sure to be honest, it blew up out of a lot of giving out on Facebook, Im gonna go along and see whats happenin anyway,its always nice to see people get animated over decisions that effect them

Sir Humphrey Appleby

I live in Balbriggan, cant see what all the fuss is about to be honest. The Library is not being closed, it is being relocated to a new home along with a local museum.
Those opposing it seem to have a kneejerk reaction to change.

SpatialPlanner

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

I live in Balbriggan, cant see what all the fuss is about to be honest. The Library is not being closed, it is being relocated to a new home along with a local museum.
Those opposing it seem to have a kneejerk reaction to change.

Phew, I thought I was the only one thinking that.

I heard some contributions on the radio and have read some of the comments on the Facebook page and they do seem to be a bit inflammatory. The town isn't losing the library, it is merely being relocated. It did strike me that there was a level of resistance because it was a social welfare office being located in the building currently accommodating the Town Council (and the library).

Once the TC is abolished, there will be a public building which I imagine has a hefty rent value or a hefty lease agreement that needs to be satisfied. The payment of which will come from the public purse. A tenant such as the Dept of Social Protection would be a long term tenant, I presume. I also presume that the floor area of the building can satisfy the needs of the Dept.

I know the library building has a traditional place in the heart of the community but is it so bad that it is being relocated to facilitate the establishment of a social welfare office, which is also vital to a town with the population of Balbriggan (and the surrounding area)?

I think it might be a better idea to confirm whether the library move is a done deal with no chance of it being shelved or whether it is just a straw in the wind. If it's a done deal, what's the point in expending energy on the issue? Unless of course the political capital being garnered by Local Election candidates is the primary motivation. People need the truth and political leadership and do not need to be whipped up into a frenzy to facilitate aspiring politicians. Fingal County Council has a responsibility too, that primarily being communicating the real message to people so they are not left operating in a vacuum.

rpurfield

so do ye see the sense in paying to fit an empty building out as a library then refit a current library to meet the needs of a social welfare office? I cant even see how it makes financial sense to do that. As well as that the new proposed site isnt as easy to access, is apparently a haven for anti social behaviour at the moment and while it is slightly bigger than the current library's floor space, its also gonna incorporate a museum that people have long been waiting on so its gonna either lose floor space or the museum will look terrible.

going from what was said at the meeting last night, when you take away all the council candidates having their tuppenceworth, people in the town are just sick and tired of the council dumping on them without consultation or consideration for what people actually want. The centre of the town is dying a death the last few years and removing a well used public amenity and hiding it down a side street will only make things worse

tatli_lokma

rpurfield wrote: »

so do ye see the sense in paying to fit an empty building out as a library then refit a current library to meet the needs of a social welfare office? I cant even see how it makes financial sense to do that. As well as that the new proposed site isnt as easy to access, is apparently a haven for anti social behaviour at the moment and while it is slightly bigger than the current library's floor space, its also gonna incorporate a museum that people have long been waiting on so its gonna either lose floor space or the museum will look terrible.

going from what was said at the meeting last night, when you take away all the council candidates having their tuppenceworth, people in the town are just sick and tired of the council dumping on them without consultation or consideration for what people actually want. The centre of the town is dying a death the last few years and removing a well used public amenity and hiding it down a side street will only make things worse

Well said.

I have noticed that a decent number of school kids use the library after school - any time I am in there in the evening or going to a class in the town hall there are always at least a dozen school kids there. If I was a parent to school age kids I would not be happy at all with them going to the new location in the evenings, particularly in the winter. It is not a safe area to be walking through - badly lit, too many places for someone up to no good to lie in wait, and already an anti social element there. If we want to encourage the younger residents of the town to make use of these facilities, then moving the library is not the way to do it.

LeoB

Firstly I was delighted to hear Balbriggan people on R.T.E during the week about this and would fully agree with the sentiment Balbriggan s being dumped on yet again, (like Rush and Lusk).

Not being from Balbrigan I felt the library in its current location gave the town a focal point, a heart and that the square had looked well these past few years. The building was renovated a few years ago and is in a superb location for what it does.

The new location while I thought would actually have less floor space is ripping the town apart. Is the square now going to become a boxing ring like it often is at the current welfare office. The new location is also an anti-social blackspot and as we know we have less policing than ever. Cars double parking around the square causing mayhem as they do at the current employment office. A few locals I spoke to will not be allowing their children go to the proposed new location.

I wonder how many of the town councillors and county councillors were aware of this move also. I would have little or no faith in local reps doing anything or being able to do anything to stop this. I do hope I am wrong and Balbriggan can whip up support to stop this going ahead.

alexanderomahon

What is the proposed location actually?

Morpheus

gallen mills area is the new location.
nobody wants a dole office as the "heart of the town".
FCC can f**k off.
the proposal doesnt include plans to FUND the administration and staffing of the new museum and library and the "sixty new jobs in the dole office" are only sixty relocations of existing employed staff.

LeoB

Fair point Morpheus re - the 60 new jobs. This is where the spin begins and people in Fingal C.C. bury their heads in reports and statistics and dont actually do what the either the locals want or what is best for the town. The 60 jobs will include the people already employed in Balbriggan and also Temp staff who get moved from billy to jack. Has Balbriggan actually got any of these 1,000 jobs a day or a week that are being created? Not a hope more spin and unfortunately a lot of people actually believe what politicians say and come local elections will vote them in again instead of getting them out and letting them know why.

To fund this project, to include the museum they will probably have to make some "small" cutbacks to the library service. It is really hard to believe anything these people come out with.

One other very interesting point made on the radio was who actually owns the site of the Library and the car parking spaces under it? Some say clubs in Balbriggan do so where does this leave it all?

In Rush we had our cultural quarter as it was being called, Library, School, band room and Millbank theatre and it was a great plan but off they go and give planning to massive Tesco across the road.

Any word on how public meeting went or if a committee has been formed?

eh i dunno

Alan Farrell TD ‏@AlanFarrell 3h
It is my understanding that the proposals for Balbriggan Library will now not go ahead.

dixierip

Has this been confirmed ?Great news for the town if so

blastman

Nothing is signed and sealed yet, as far as I know. A motion not to move the library will be submitted at the next monthly meeting on Feb 10th of FCC by Cllr. Tom O'Leary. Presuming it is passed without amendments (unlike the last proposal), that should be the end of it (for now).

LeoB

That is good news for Balbriggan and hopefully it is true.

Will there be a clamor now to claim the kudos for reversing this decision? Balbriggan should still continue with Library action group of some sort to keep eye on things and help to further develop the great facility that it is.

blastman

One thing that has come out of it is a Facebook group called Taking Back Our Town, which was formed with the idea of creating a Town Liaison committee that would consult with Fingal CC in future, rather than having situations like this arise again in future. The process to put this group together is ongoing at the moment, as far as I'm aware.

blastman

Letter from Joan Burton to Brendan Ryan, looks like the library is safe in its current location....

Deputy Brendan Ryan,
Leinster House,
Kildare Street, D2.

27-01-2014

Dear Brendan,

I am writing in connection with your recent representations concerning the proposal to avail of Balbriggan Library for the Department’s new Intreo office.

As you aware, Intreo Centres are a crucial element of the Department’s Pathways to Work strategy to reduce unemployment. Intreo Centres are “one-stop shops” where jobseekers get their income and employment supports in the one place for the first time. They are replacing the social welfare offices of old, and there are now 43 Intreo Centres across the country. The Department, in conjunction with the OPW, is endeavouring to complete the rollout this year, bringing the overall number of Intreo centres nationwide to 63, including the new Centre for the Balbriggan area.

It is the Office of the Public Works, as manager of the State’s property portfolio, which has responsibility for identifying and procuring suitable locations for the Centres. In terms of the Intreo rollout, the OPW identifies and procures locations in keeping with the Department’s requirements.

While using the library premises has been considered as an option, the Department is now of the view that an alternative location would be more appropriate. The Department’s officials are now engaging with the OPW with a view to identifying a location which would best meet the Department’s requirements. I understand that Fingal County Council has been, and is continuing to be, very supportive at every stage in terms of seeking to assist the OPW in the site procurement process.

As soon as this work is completed, I will revert to you with a further update. I am confident that we will secure an appropriate location that will afford the Department the capability to provide in full this essential service to jobseekers in the Balbriggan area.

The Intreo Centre, when up and running, will be a significant asset to Balbriggan, as it will help jobseekers return to work, education and training, which will benefit themselves, their families and the local community. Importantly, Intreo is not just of benefit to jobseekers, but to employers too. Intreo Centres provide employers with “job-matching” services, helping them to find recruits for their businesses, and also provides a range of other employer supports.

I hope the above answers your queries on the issue. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Joan Burton, TD Minister for Social Protection