JCSP Librarians Retained

21 June 2010

IBBY Ireland welcomes the announcement from Minister of Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan, that the school librarians in disadvantaged schools be retained. It is indeed good news and gives us hope that the recent cut in funding to all primary school libraries will now be reversed. Books are invaluable for recreation, information and for promoting inter-cultural understanding. All  children through their primary schools should have access to a wide range of books. It is centrally important that their early experience of reading is a stimulating one and well- stocked libraries play a key role in this. We hope that the grant to public libraries will be re-instated as a matter of urgency so that their service to primary school libraries may be continued.