COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 09, 2009

 

                                                                                                                        STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEES

 f) Arts, Culture, Gaeilge, Education  and Libraries Strategic Policy Committee

(ii) Minutes of Meeting,  24th November 2008

Attendance

 

   Members                                                                        Officials

Cllr J Hannon

Cllr G O’Connell                   

Cllr S. O’Conchuir                         B. Coman, Senior Executive Officer

Cllr C Keane                                   V Durrer Youth Participation Officer

Cllr J Neville                                       Ian Stobbart, County Librarian

Cllr T McDermott                           

Cllr C Jones

Cllr M Ardagh

 B Bollard                  

J Fay

A Fitzpatrick

B Bollard                                           

E Smart

 

Apologies:

Cllr J Lahart

Cllr T McDermott

 

An Cathaoirleach Cllr. J. Hannon presided.

 

1.      Minutes of meeting of 15th September 2008 - Proposed by J Fay and seconded by Cllr G O’Connell and agreed.

2.      Matters Arising – general discussion and update took place on the Farmers Market  and following a contribution from Cllr J Hannon agreed to have a further report to the next meeting of the Committee.

 

3. Libraries Update

Ian Stobbart County Librarian presented an update on progress on the new County Library and new initiatives that have been introduced during 2008 mainly on the following topics:

a/ ICT and Service Development

b/ Reader Development

c/ County Library initiatives

covering various items such as on line registration, customer profiling, county library usage, Digitisation of Tallaght Echo, Family Learning Project – Telling Tales (members provided with copies and cd) and digitisation of Local Studies Resources.

The new County Library Statistics since April 2008 to date are:

Visitors – 207,196

Issues – 202,378

Computer Sessions – 84,941

Following a debate to which Cllrs G. O’Connell, M Ardagh, S O’Connor, C Jones and J Fay and B Bollard contributed relating to digital photography, uemployed numbers creating greater users etc, the work of the Libraries was praised and report noted.

4    RUA RED County Arts Centre Update

V Durrer presented a report and update on the on RUA RED the County Arts Centre.

Following a general debate to which Cllrs J Hannon, G O’Connell, S O’Connor, C Keane and M Ardagh contributed and to which B Coman responded the report was noted and agreed to proceed and progress as quickly as possible. A report was also made on the NOISE project which was launched in the “Big Picture” recently.

5. In Context 3  SDCC % for Arts Programme

 

V Durrer presented a report and update on the project and outlined the exhibitions running in the RUA RED until 7TH January 2009 with the official launch to be held on Friday 28th November 2008. B Coman outlined the costings attached to the project and the future programming required to sustain the day to day operation of the centre. A number of matters relating to the allocation of €300k from Access 11 funding from the Department Arts Sports and Tourism, Staffing and access to RUA RED, Commercial branding of the name of the centre, space for artists to display and sell their works and the possibility of seeking a contribution back from Dublin City Council from their portion of the proceeds of the sale of Virginia House land. Following the debate to which Cllrs J Hannon, S O’Connor, C Keane and G O’Connell and B Bollard and J Fay contributed and B Coman responded the reports were noted.

6 A.O.B.

 There was no other business

 The meeting then ended at 7.00 pm