In an exclusive interview with the County Leader, Acting County Manager, Peter Caulfield provided some hope that the proposed moving of Balbriggan Library to Gallen Mills, may not happen after all. He confirmed that a special meeting of the Balbriggan/Swords Area committee will convene this week, and discuss the options on the future of the library.
Caulfield stated that there are two options up for consideration. “The first is that the original decision to relocate the library to Gallen Mills remains in place. The second one is to see, in consultation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), if an alternative arrangement that be made that would see the Intreo office going to Gallen Mills, instead of the library and if it is deemed acceptable.”…………..
…………The OPW will have to do their own assessment, and they have the decision on whether Gallen Mills is a suitable location for them. “If the library stays in place, there is still a lot of space in the Town Hall. It would not be the primary Intreo building. Part of that arrangement would be the commitment that space in the Town Hall would be made available in perpetuity to the people of Balbriggan,” he concluded. Meanwhile, the townspeople of Balbriggan are still smarting at the prospect of losing their library. Balbriggan Ward election candidate, Cathal Boland (NP) said, “Despite the mood of optimism, that the battle to retain the library on the Square in Balbriggan has been won, the war may still be on. I am calling on the County Manager to give an undertaking that the Library will remain on the Square.”
“It is rumoured that both the Chamber of Commerce and the Town Council were aware and knew about the proposed move, some time before the news was made public. If that is the case, I question whose interest these people were serving. The Square was designed as a civic space, which people would use throughout the day, not just between the opening hours of a Social Welfare Office. It may appear to be good for business owners, but it certainly is not good for the town,” he concluded.