Ms Maura McGrath:

Going back to Senator Warfield's question about outreach, Hans Christian Andersen said, "Where words fail, music speaks." I think that sentiment is behind the Senator's question. It is a very significant responsibility for all of us. I spoke earlier about outreach programmes. Whether it be through education, digitisation or the digital world, there is a huge responsibility to bring that into classrooms, which cuts across all socio-economic groupings. That is a fundamental responsibility. I listened to the Minister recently say that 800 schools will come online with broadband every year over the next three to five years. There is a golden opportunity to do that from this point of view. As I said earlier, there are wonderful opportunities from now through to our refurbishment to consider venues across the country and to bring what is currently on Earlsfort Terrace, but has not always been there, right around. There is a unique opportunity to do that in conjunction with the Department, which has a wider scope now.

Education can push one thing still further. The committee may be conscious of the research that has come out recently on the study of music and how it develops the brains of children in their mathematical perspective and the wider perspective. That is a very fundamental piece of research. It is almost like keeping fit and eating well. There is almost a further dimension to it. Music should be considered on the serious side, not just as an option. It can really enhance the opportunity for one's child going forward.