Leinster House in Dublin
The Irish Government Publications Office bookshop on Molesworth Street in Dublin city centre is closing its doors today due to declines in the number of hard copies of Government publications being sold and the availability of such publications online.
“The nature of publishing has changed dramatically in recent years leading to the decline,” The Irish Times reported Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Brian Hayes, as having said.
“The general move to electronic-only publishing, increased use of the internet and the economic downturn have resulted in a much-reduced footfall to the shop.”
The closure of the shop, which sold publications ranging from Dáil and Seanad debates to the official State journal Iris Oifigiúil and copies of the Constitution, is expected to reap savings of about €400,000. The shop’s sales revenue have dropped by more than 50pc in the past four years.
Most Government publications have been sold by a call centre, also operated by the Office of Public Works, The Irish Times reported, and they are available on State websites as PDF files.
