More funding is needed to build new library in Tipperary

The gap in funding for the construction of Clonmel’s new library is a problem and that gap needs to be bridged.

This was stated by County Librarian Damien Dullaghan at a meeting of Clonmel Borough District.

The new building will be built over three floors on a site adjacent to the Tipperary County Council offices and Clonmel Swimming Pool. The site is an area where car parking spaces are currently located, on a route between Mick Delahunty Square and the former Kickham Barracks.

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The new building has been previously estimated as costing €10 million.

The County Librarian said a grant of €3 million had been received in late 2024 under the Library Capital Programme and the design team is ABK Architects, Dublin.

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While this grant was very welcome, it doesn’t cover the full costs and ways were being examined to try and bridge that gap.
That €3 million grant couldn’t be accessed yet, Mr Dullaghan told the Mayor Pat English.

Mr Dullaghan told the meeting that the construction of the library was a four stage capital programme, and they were now at stage two.

They were hoping to receive stage two approval very shortly. This would be significant because they could then proceed to part 8 planning permission.

Once they reached stage three they could go to tender, but he admitted they were a bit away from that yet.
He said that all that the County Library Service could do was be ready to hit the ground running once the funding comes through.

The county council had set aside funding to get through the capital process and that would be spent proceeding with the planning application.

Mr Dullaghan said that the existing library in Clonmel had more than 100,000 visits each year. However the space it occupies is too small, and the new building would be more than four times larger.

The current library was very book-orientated when it was conceived in the early 1980s (and opened in 1987), but now it is more of a community hub and community-based centre.

Cllr Tom Acheson said that Jerry Buttimer, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, was in Clonmel a few weeks ago, and Damien Dullaghan and others had made a great presentation to him.

Cllr Acheson said he had also met Minister Buttimer’s PA during a recent visit to the Dáil and they were looking at ways to try and bridge the gap in funding. No guarantees were given but it’s hoped that a way could be found.

He said there was more hope than he thought had previously existed. Deputy Michael Murphy was also working hard on this issue, he stated.

Cllr Acheson said the new library would really bring something different to the centre of the town and would reinvigorate an area that needs to be reinvigorated.

The Mayor Pat English said he was pleased to hear that the door was ajar at government level.

Cllr Siobhán Ambrose said that Clonmel Library was the busiest in the county and was a victim of its own success.
The new building would be a wonderful asset to the town, she said.