Ministers announce over €25,000 in funding for library supports in Westmeath

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien TD, have today announced €700,000 in funding for library supports.

Westmeath has been allocated a whopping €25,631 in funding for library supports.

The following projects in Westmeath have been allocated funding under the Dormant Accounts Action Plan:

The Musical Moments programme will receive €4,000 to help dementia sufferers and their carers. They will use ukuleles to engage older people in the Musical Moments project. These music sessions will help people suffering with Dementia/Alzheimer’s and their carers to come together in a safe supportive environment to learn a new skill.

The Bridge the Gap Dyslexia project will receive €3,000 in funding and will enhance the development of reading skills in the dyslexic community and deliver a programme supporting dyslexic students, teachers and parents.

The Sensory Stories project has been granted €5,000 to provide a programme of Sensory Story Times for children and adults with complex needs. This will be delivered through story times, play sessions and exploring the library’s sensory spaces and technology.

The Sign Language Story time project has secured €3,000 in funding. It will help to provide story sessions for all children/families with an ISL facilitator and information sessions for the public raising awareness of difficulties faced by the deaf community, teaching basic sign language.

The Sensory Feature Wall & Fidget Pack will receive €4,200 in funding for a Sensory Wall with tactile elements. This will encourage use of the library by families with complex needs and build upon relationships with existing organisations.

The C-PENs programme will obtain €1,575 under the scheme to assist people with various disabilities and impairments. The funding will be used to scan printed text and receive audible pronunciations, definitions and synonyms of scanned words.

The Touch Type Read & Spell project has been granted €3,380 to provide 50 two year licences for TTRS which is specifically designed for those with learning differences such as Dyslexia/Dyspraxia but can be used by all.

Finally, Languages other than English will receive €1,476 in funding to target schools, Refugee centres, Westmeath Childcare Committee and provide digital storybooks in 50 world languages, including English translations.

The funding, under the Dormant Accounts Action Plan, is designed to assist libraries in reaching out to older people, children from disadvantaged communities, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

This year, a number of libraries submitted projects designed to reach out to Ukrainian families who are living in Ireland after fleeing the war.

Announcing the funding, Minister Humphreys said:

“I am delighted today to announce €700,000 in funding to libraries across the country.

“The sort of innovative projects that are being funded under this initiative will create a more welcoming and engaging library experience for thousands of people.

“They will put our libraries at the forefront of reaching out to all members of the local community in which they serve.

“I would really encourage families to look at the projects being funded in their own county. Comic Book Clubs for Children with Dyslexia, Online in No Time Courses for older citizens, and Sign Language Storytime are just a few examples of the great supports this funding will allow our libraries across the country to host.

“While this funding is small in nature, it will have a big impact in terms of improving people’s lives. I want to pay tribute and thank all our library staff, who play such an important role in cities, towns and villages right across the country.”

Commenting on the funding, Minister O’Brien said:

“I am delighted to approve these projects under the 2022 Dormant Accounts Action Plan. The projects are diverse in nature and target a multiplicity of groups including the Traveller community, Ukrainians displaced by war, residents of Direct Provision Centres and the elderly. There is also funding for groups working to provide autism supports, and groups working with hearing and visually impaired communities, prisoners and people with learning differences such as dyslexia. This funding package will build on the excellent projects which have been delivered over the past three years and also help our public libraries to continue to foster community well-being and build community cohesion in their role as community hubs.”

The funding will provide:

€400,000 for events and programmes which reach out to marginalised, socially excluded and disadvantaged communities.

€150,000 for the provision of digital equity and sensory equipment which will improve accessibility to public library services for people with a disability and those with sensory needs, autism, or older members of our community.

€150,000 for the provision of literacy supports in tandem with the national Right to Read Programme such as literacy, numeracy, digital skills licences.

Minister O’Brien added:

“I am particularly pleased that this funding supports the installation of equipment in public libraries which will improve accessibility for people with a disability, sensory needs, autism, and older members of our community. I also welcome the many initiatives that are being delivered to support the Ukrainian community who have arrived here over the past few months. Our public libraries are welcoming and inclusive spaces and it is important that everybody can avail of the services that they provide.”