Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Arts education is one of the seven curriculum areas in primary schools and, as such, is a core part of the curriculum. The music curriculum is designed around the strands of listening, responding, performing and composing activities. In disadvantaged schools, in particular, the school completion programme has funded a number of initiatives involving music, for example, choirs, bands and orchestras in Finglas schools, which I have seen first hand. Options are, therefore, available.

The Music Network pilot programme, which is focused on young people, is expensive. Commencing in 2004, each centre has been allocated a sum of €100,000 per annum and start-up funding of €20,000. Significant investment would be required to extend the pilot projects nationwide. Music is already part of the primary school curriculum and an optional subject at second level. The new music curriculum for the leaving certificate has proved more successful and popular than its predecessor. In 2005, 4,700 candidates took music, of whom 74% were female. This is a significant figure, albeit perhaps irrelevant in the context of this discussion.

Various initiatives are taking place, including the allocation of grants, distribution of tin whistles and investment in the Cork School of Music. I will be interested to discover how the networks operate in practice. I strongly support the school completion fund and its work with local schools, particularly disadvantaged schools, in funding projects because I am aware of the success of such projects.

See this speech in context