Minister says gardaí will take 'whatever steps are necessary' to protect library staff

Speaking after opening Kinsale's new library, Heather Humphreys said library staff 'deserve to be able to go to their work and know that they’re not going to be intimidated' 

Former Kinsale Librarian Eileen O'Connell; Rural and Community Development Minister Heather Humphreys; County Mayor Frank O'Flynn, and County Librarian Emer O'Brien, at the opening of Kinsale's new public library. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan

The Minister for Rural and Community Development says she is satisfied that gardaí will take “whatever steps are necessary” to protect library staff from protests and intimidation.

A week on from the Dublin riots, Heather Humphreys, who is also the minister for social protection, condemned those involved in recent library protests and paid tribute to library staff, particularly those in Cork, who have borne the brunt of intimidation from far-right agitators opposed to the availability of certain LGBT+ reading material in public libraries.