COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN, NEWCASTLE, RATHCOOLE, SAGGART AND BRITTAS AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

QUESTION NO. 15

QUESTION: Councillor W. Carey

To ask the Chief Executive if they can look at the feasibility of establishing permanent satellite libraries in villages of Saggart, Newcastle, and Rathcoole?

REPLY:

SDCC Libraries current branch network consists of 6 full-time branches of varying size and age and one part-time branch in Palmerstown. In addition, our mobile library service operates across the county, serving a catchment population of around 10,000 people through the public stop timetable. The mobile library service also delivers housebound services and visits to schools, creches, nursing homes, and other facilities.

The following projects are current capital priorities in line with Our Library, Our Future: SDCC Libraries Development Plan 2023-2027, and the County Development Plan (2022-2028).

• Citywest [Saggart] – a 1,700 sq metre library is currently under construction
• Rathcoole – this project is at Initiation Stage
• Clondalkin Library – Access Improvement and Refurbishment Works (Detailed design stage)
• Adamstown (Pre-planning)

While there are no current plans for a library in Newcastle, preliminary planning work for future developments, i.e. analysis of our current network coverage, is ongoing. The process is led by the County Development Plan and influenced by the requirements to maintain and refurbish our current network. Other factors to be considered include; geographical area and population; location of next nearest library service; social impact; project complexity; potential for external funding; and range of ultimate cost.