Limerick County Council opened its new 6 million euro Area Office and Regional Library in Kilmallock today.
Áras Mainchin Seoighe, which is one of the largest ever-civic building projects to be undertaken in the County, features 1000 sq.m of Area Office accommodation and a full-time library. The development is complemented by 540sq.m of Court facilities for the Court Services of Ireland.
The main function of the Kilmallock Area Office is to administer work programmes such as road maintenance and improvements, housing grants, and water, customer and planning services to the Kilmallock Electoral Area. The facility will also host Committee meetings of Kilmallock Electoral Area Councillors.
The geographical area covered by the Area Office and Regional Library extends from Ballylanders on the eastern side to Ballyagran on the West of the Kilmallock Electoral Area. It includes towns and villages such as Colmanswell, Bruree, Kilfinane, Knocklong, Galbally, Ardpatrick and Glenbrohane.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony, Councillor David Naughton, Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council acknowledged the significance of the new buildings in terms of their contribution to the development of Local Government services in Kilmallock and across County Limerick. He said that the centralising of principal services under one roof in Kilmallock would allow the Council to provide public services more efficiently and effectively in the Electoral Area.
Councillor Naughton added: “If local authorities are to retain the public’s approval they must continue to demonstrate that they can improve the quality of services being delivered. I feel that by providing a comprehensive range of services in various locations throughout the County, Limerick County Council is achieving this goal. However, the Council cannot rest on these achievements alone. It must continue to play a significant role in the economic and social development of this County. My Council colleagues and I will do our part by supporting the Council executive in its efforts and, in turn, continue to embrace a can-do culture centred on quality.”
According to Edmond Gleeson, Limerick County Manager: “These new facilities are line with the Government’s programme for delivering ‘Better Local Government’, which aims to develop efficiency in local government and to provide proper resources to allow local government to fulfil the role assigned to it.
“Complemented by the provision of a fully serviced Regional Library, this modern new Area Office building forms part of the County Council’s ongoing efforts to provide services that are immediately accessible to members of the public throughout Limerick”, added Mr. Gleeson.
Commenting on the provision of a full-time library service for the Kilmallock Electoral Area, Mr. Damien Brady, County Librarian, Limerick County Council said: “The new Regional Library will have a positive impact not only on the town of Kilmallock but on the entire Electoral Area. An experienced team of staff headed by a qualified librarian will provide a 21st century library service that will be open to the public for over 35 hours per week, including 5 full days, two late nights and a full day Saturday. It represents a tripling of the existing opening hours currently available in Kilmallock.”
The library features an impressive range of bookstock with over 20,000 new titles and a comprehensive audio-visual collection, which includes books on CD and MP3 formats, the first music lending collection in Co Limerick, and a DVD film collection. The Library also provides an extensive language learning collection covering all the major language groups, while a suite of Internet PCs and a WIFI network facilitates information provision and research. A specially designed activity room has a seating capacity for 50 people and can be used as training, meeting or a lecture/exhibition space. An extensive range of formal study and IT spaces are provided, including a special area for teenagers and easy area spaces for informal learning and recreation.
The civic building project has been funded by Limerick County Council, the Courts Services of Ireland, and the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government. The Main Contractor for the project is Brian McCarthy Contractors Ltd. The project design team includes ABK Architects, Davis Langdon PKS Quantity Surveyors, Michael Punch & Partners Consulting Engineers and Homan O’ Brien M&E Consultants.
The buildings incorporate principles of sustainable development, including natural ventilation, reduction in heat loss, sustainable and efficient heat generation, extensive use of natural day lighting combined with shading devices, and a central energy centre accommodating a biomass wood pellet boiler and plant facilities.
Mr. John Parker of ABK Architects noted that the new civic precinct of public buildings was strategically located so as to extend the building line of the main street and reinforce the vista to the site. “The Library and Office form a long, linear, single-storey building, which connects with the existing Union Workhouse building. The Regional Library, which will play an important public and social role within the town consists of a double-height flexible space and is located on the most prominent corner of the site. A new linear public space is provided together with over 50 public and staff car parking spaces”, he commented.
For more on Limerick County Council log on to www.lcc.ie.
Áras Mainchin Seoighe, which is one of the largest ever-civic building projects to be undertaken in the County, features 1000 sq.m of Area Office accommodation and a full-time library. The development is complemented by 540sq.m of Court facilities for the Court Services of Ireland.
The main function of the Kilmallock Area Office is to administer work programmes such as road maintenance and improvements, housing grants, and water, customer and planning services to the Kilmallock Electoral Area. The facility will also host Committee meetings of Kilmallock Electoral Area Councillors.
The geographical area covered by the Area Office and Regional Library extends from Ballylanders on the eastern side to Ballyagran on the West of the Kilmallock Electoral Area. It includes towns and villages such as Colmanswell, Bruree, Kilfinane, Knocklong, Galbally, Ardpatrick and Glenbrohane.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony, Councillor David Naughton, Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council acknowledged the significance of the new buildings in terms of their contribution to the development of Local Government services in Kilmallock and across County Limerick. He said that the centralising of principal services under one roof in Kilmallock would allow the Council to provide public services more efficiently and effectively in the Electoral Area.
Councillor Naughton added: “If local authorities are to retain the public’s approval they must continue to demonstrate that they can improve the quality of services being delivered. I feel that by providing a comprehensive range of services in various locations throughout the County, Limerick County Council is achieving this goal. However, the Council cannot rest on these achievements alone. It must continue to play a significant role in the economic and social development of this County. My Council colleagues and I will do our part by supporting the Council executive in its efforts and, in turn, continue to embrace a can-do culture centred on quality.”
According to Edmond Gleeson, Limerick County Manager: “These new facilities are line with the Government’s programme for delivering ‘Better Local Government’, which aims to develop efficiency in local government and to provide proper resources to allow local government to fulfil the role assigned to it.
“Complemented by the provision of a fully serviced Regional Library, this modern new Area Office building forms part of the County Council’s ongoing efforts to provide services that are immediately accessible to members of the public throughout Limerick”, added Mr. Gleeson.
Commenting on the provision of a full-time library service for the Kilmallock Electoral Area, Mr. Damien Brady, County Librarian, Limerick County Council said: “The new Regional Library will have a positive impact not only on the town of Kilmallock but on the entire Electoral Area. An experienced team of staff headed by a qualified librarian will provide a 21st century library service that will be open to the public for over 35 hours per week, including 5 full days, two late nights and a full day Saturday. It represents a tripling of the existing opening hours currently available in Kilmallock.”
The library features an impressive range of bookstock with over 20,000 new titles and a comprehensive audio-visual collection, which includes books on CD and MP3 formats, the first music lending collection in Co Limerick, and a DVD film collection. The Library also provides an extensive language learning collection covering all the major language groups, while a suite of Internet PCs and a WIFI network facilitates information provision and research. A specially designed activity room has a seating capacity for 50 people and can be used as training, meeting or a lecture/exhibition space. An extensive range of formal study and IT spaces are provided, including a special area for teenagers and easy area spaces for informal learning and recreation.
The civic building project has been funded by Limerick County Council, the Courts Services of Ireland, and the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government. The Main Contractor for the project is Brian McCarthy Contractors Ltd. The project design team includes ABK Architects, Davis Langdon PKS Quantity Surveyors, Michael Punch & Partners Consulting Engineers and Homan O’ Brien M&E Consultants.
The buildings incorporate principles of sustainable development, including natural ventilation, reduction in heat loss, sustainable and efficient heat generation, extensive use of natural day lighting combined with shading devices, and a central energy centre accommodating a biomass wood pellet boiler and plant facilities.
Mr. John Parker of ABK Architects noted that the new civic precinct of public buildings was strategically located so as to extend the building line of the main street and reinforce the vista to the site. “The Library and Office form a long, linear, single-storey building, which connects with the existing Union Workhouse building. The Regional Library, which will play an important public and social role within the town consists of a double-height flexible space and is located on the most prominent corner of the site. A new linear public space is provided together with over 50 public and staff car parking spaces”, he commented.
For more on Limerick County Council log on to www.lcc.ie.
