Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I put down this question to raise a debate on the provision of music education. I welcome the fact that Deputy Keaveney is here because she also has an interest in this area. Unless one is in these pilot areas, having money is an important factor in getting a musical education in the sense of learning instruments because it is not provided for within the public education system and one must pay for it. Does the Minister agree that there is a need for a broad-based provision of music education? While I accept the pilot project has existed for only a short time, does the Minister know when we might expect it to be extended to the rest of the country?

While I receive letters from various organisations, I was struck by one I received recently from a group in County Limerick that wishes to teach traditional music in schools in disadvantaged areas. Unfortunately, the organisation in question has been forced to seek private sector funding to finance its plans because schools cannot pay the costs. Does the Minister agree that such organisations should not be required to seek private sector funding? Should the school system not have a mechanism in place to facilitate the teaching of music, whether traditional, classical or other, to children?

See this speech in context