Local Government Act, 1925

Libraries.

65.—(1) The council of any county shall have power by resolution to adopt the Public Libraries (Ireland) Act, 1855, for the whole or any specified parts or part of their county, exclusive of any urban district.

(2) When a resolution is passed by the council of a county under this section, the Public Libraries (Ireland) Acts, 1855 to 1920, shall, as respects the area for which the said Act is adopted by the resolution, be carried into execution by the council as the library authority of that area.

(3) The expenses incurred by the council of a county as library authority in pursuance of a resolution under this section shall be charged on the area for which the said Act is adopted by such resolution.

(4) The council of any county may arrange with the council of any urban district in such county or of any county borough adjoining such county for the use for all or any of the purposes of the said Acts by the whole or some specified part of the county of any part of the building or of the library facilities of any public library situate in such urban district or county borough on such terms as may be agreed upon between the council of the urban district or county borough in which such library is situate and the council of such county.

(5) The powers given by the last preceding sub-section shall be without prejudice and in addition to, not in derogation from, the powers given by section 3 of the Public Libraries (Ireland) Act, 1894 (as amended or extended by any other enactment, including this section), by section 4 of the said Act and by the next succeeding sub-section of this section.

(6) The council of any urban district may on such terms as may be agreed on between such council and the council of the county in which such district is situate and be approved of by the Minister, relinquish in favour of the council of such county, their powers and duties under the Public Libraries (Ireland) Acts, 1855 to 1920, and in that case the powers and duties so relinquished shall cease and the provisions of this Part of this Act shall have effect as if the council of the county had passed a resolution under this section adopting the Public Libraries (Ireland) Act, 1855, for the area of such urban district.

(7) Whenever a county council is the library authority for two or more separate areas in their county, and any expenses incurred by such county council as library authority are charged on each such area respectively, the county council may, with the consent of the Minister, amalgamate such areas, and any expenses incurred thereafter by the county council as library authority for such amalgamated area shall be charged on such amalgamated area.