elphin local area plan 2009 - 2015 - Roscommon County Council

Chapter 7: Social and Community Facilities
7.6 LIBRARY
Roscommon County Council: Library Services provides for the cultural, education, recreation,
information and learning needs of people of all ages throughout the county and strives to provide and
develop a comprehensive, quality, modern and accessible service. It acts as centre for knowledge and
learning, as a resource for culture, tourism and the imagination, as a resource for children and young
people, as an access to information communication technologies and as a vital community facility and
public space.
The Elphin Library is currently on Main Street and provides multi functional services including
information on tourist amenities and the local history on Elphin. There are proposals to move the facility
to the old Courthouse on the Main Street. There is a variety of material on an extensive range of subjects.
The collection development policies are designed to provide an updated and balanced stock across all
areas. While books and the printed word remain one of the core mediums, other materials such as
audiotapes, music, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, language learning packages, microfilm and microfiche, prints,
videos and maps are also available.
7.7 BURIAL GROUNDS
The Roads Section of Roscommon County Council is responsible for regulations in relation to Burial
Grounds. There are two Roman Catholic Church cemeteries located in the town; one at the Church on
Chapel Street and one on the Strokestown Road. There is sufficient burial capacity in the cemetery on the
Strokestown Road. There are also cemeteries at Shankill and Caldragh.
7.8 FIRE SERVICE
The protection of life, property and the environment by the efficient and effective prevention and control
of fires and other emergencies form the main objectives of the Fire Service. Roscommon County Council
maintains six brigades: Castlerea, Elphin, Roscommon, Boyle, Ballaghaderreen and Strokestown. In
addition, Athlone Town Council provides the service, by Agreement, in the Southern part of the County.
The Fire Service in Elphin is located on Bishop Street.
The primary legislation and statutory basis for the Fire Service is the Fire Services Act 1981. It directs both
fire fighting and fire prevention and comes under the control of the Minister of the Environment, Heritage
and Local Government.
7.9 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FORA
There are numerous community groups within Elphin that are actively promoting the town including a
tidy towns group. While there are several small groups, the town lacks a larger development
group/association with responsibility for undertaking broader development objectives.
North Roscommon Community Forum (www.nrcf.ie)
North Roscommon Community Forum was established in 1997 and its purpose is to give a voice to the
community and voluntary sector in a number of ways. It brings affiliated voluntary and community groups
together so that the forum can present a strong, independent, united voice of the community, share
knowledge and experiences and promote development, growth and change. The Forum is open to a broad
range of community groups and voluntary organisations. Groups already participating include those
involved with community development, community resource centers, social care, young people, heritage,
enterprise development, employment creation, rural tourism groups.
One very important role of the Forum is to facilitate the representation of, and participation by,
community and voluntary groups in the North Roscommon area in matters relating to the work of
Elphin Local Area Plan 2009-2015 Page 67