Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has condemned protests at libraries across Ireland.
It follows a series of demonstrations at libraries, and hostilities towards librarians, over LGBT+ books and events.
Asked by reporters about the protests, Mr Donohoe – who insisted Irish libraries “could have no better supporter than me” – said Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien had briefed Government on the matter.
“I’m really aware of how libraries have become, in some places, a frontier of the divisive debates that are under way on cultural matters,” he said.
The minister was speaking at the launch of the Government’s road map for digital inclusion at Cabra Library in Dublin.
The plan sets out a number of strategies related to the local library network, including device lending, the Skills for Life programme, and broadband access.
“I think it is absolutely vital that we respect the work that our librarians do, that they are treated with courtesy, and I know that local authorities will give them any support that is needed in them carrying out their work in a respectful and peaceful way,” he said.
“For me, libraries are cradles within which we grow understanding, we grow empathy and we develop ourselves, both as individuals, as families and as communities.
“They are the last places in which protests should happen.”
Last week, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said a protest at Cork Library represented a “very disturbing element”, but added he was confident gardai were policing them in the right way.
Mr Varadkar said: “I just want to express my solidarity and support for our librarians and our library workers. Libraries are repositories of knowledge, they’re repositories of wisdom, they’re where people go to learn things.
“I think it’s a very disturbing element that we’re seeing, I think, spillover from abroad into Ireland.
“The idea that certain books shouldn’t be read or certain books should be banned, it’s not long after you start burning books – sometimes people start burning other people, and we shouldn’t forget our history in that regard.”
He said he had spoken to Minister O’Brien and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee about an appropriate response.
“And one thing the gardai do have to judge when it comes to any instance like this is the risk of escalation. There are people on the extreme right and on the extreme left who want to be arrested, who want to be able to accuse the gardai of being heavy handed and engaging in brutality,” he said.
“And that’s why I think the gardaí have to make the right judgment call as to how they deal with each particular incident. And I’m confident they’re making the right decision.”
