Two projects in Galway to provide library supports to communities and individuals at risk of being socially excluded, marginalised or disadvantaged have received backing under the Dormant Accounts Plan 2019.
Galway was among the lowest funded areas under this library scheme in 2019, receiving just €8,340 out of a total funding pot of €650,000.
The only counties which received less than Galway were Leitrim (€5,400), Longford (€5,625), and Clare (€7,311).
Funding was provided for two projects in Galway. A ten week art journalling programme for 16 young teenage Traveller girls received €5,850.
And Explore Play Learn – 6 weekly interactive play based learning sessions for 8-10 families with young children from marginalised areas that don’t have English as first language received €2,490.
The biggest winner was South Dublin which was awarded a total of €66,934 for six projects.
Announcing the funding, Galway East TD and Minister of State for Community Development Seán Canney said “Our public library system has an important role to play in delivering additional educational services to comply with our Sustainable Development Goals.”
“I am delighted to approve this funding which will help meet the needs of a diverse range of individuals and communities and facilitate inclusion and participation by all.”
The bulk of the funding comes from the Dormant Accounts Plan, but local authorities also contributed €150,000, giving a total pot of €800,000 for these projects.
Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring said that goal of the Dormant Accounts Fund is to “support people who experience economic, social or educational disadvantage, or to assist persons with a disability.”
“We want to build on existing library services and develop new relationships with local agencies and groups to facilitate greater engagement with those communities.”
This programme is designed to provide greater access to educational and social inclusion supports through local libraries, improve digital literacy and digital capacity for disadvantaged communities and provide literacy supports in tandem with the national Right-to-Read Programme.
