Sinn Féin spokesperson on Climate Action, Darren O’Rourke TD, has said other councils should follow the example of Meath County Council and establish a ‘Library Climate Collection’.

The collection consists of one hundred highly recommended titles on climate action, suitable for project use by senior primary schools classes and will be available for block loan release.

The scheme is to be piloted through Ashbourne library and, with ongoing feedback from teachers and students to assist with further development of the collection, is intended for wider rollout across the county in the coming months.

The Meath East TD said:

“This is an excellent initiative by Meath County Council and I was happy to play a part in its development and to support it.

“In November 2022, Sinn Féin published our policy document ‘Schools as a Catalyst for Climate Action’ outlining the role we believe schools can play in climate action. The establishment of ‘Library Climate Collections’ sits perfectly with that ambition.

“The scheme is innovative and will be piloted titles through Ashbourne Library. It will make a collection of one hundred climate titles available for block release to senior primary school classes in the locality.

“We know that young people have led the way in calling for an urgent response to climate change. This scheme will provide them with the latest and best available information to help prepare climate projects and to aid their climate education.

“If we want to ensure that the young people of today are educated about the climate crisis and that they have to have the knowledge, skills and tools to take action so they can be informed and empowered.  This new scheme represents one way to achieve that.

“I look forward to its introduction, implementation and, hopefully, further rollout across the county.

“Indeed, other council’s should follow Meath’s example and establish their own ‘Library Climate Collections’ to expand the scheme across the whole state.”