Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A nation and a society must hold certain values and qualities, of which one is to nurture and protect its artists, and particularly its musicians. The RTÉ symphony and concert orchestras have been an essential and acclaimed part of our national cultural life over many decades. Founded in 1948, they have become the biggest employers of musicians throughout the country. The orchestras are a key component of our musical ecosystem. Many of our graduates from Ireland's music schools, academies and colleges gain employment in them and others aspire to become members. Standards of excellence in performance are set by the orchestras for others to emulate. Many of their members engage in education, many teach in higher education and many perform across the country. Their reach is far and wide. In the words of Aodán Ó Dubhgaill, the orchestras have a singular place in the Irish musical heritage. They have nurtured through performance and education generations of world-class musicians.

RTÉ has announced a review of its two orchestras amid challenging financial circumstances - that is code for RTÉ being in deep financial trouble. The orchestras are already short of 30 musicians, there have been suggestions that they will be 40 musicians short next year. Some fear that there might be an amalgamation leading to the loss of the entire concert orchestra. Other managers are talking about one fifth of orchestral musicians being lost to the system. There is no sense of future planning or vision for these orchestras.

The Government cannot wash its hands of this and cannot stand idly by. The orchestras are a national treasure. They have developed a tradition of musical excellence that has been built up painstakingly over decades and are a key part of our national cultural life. I ask the Taoiseach to intervene to ensure that the allocation for orchestras be ring fenced and not fall victim to RTÉ's genuine financial difficulties. It cannot become a victim in the ongoing tug of war between RTÉ and the Government regarding the licence fee. The Government, through the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment should intervene and I ask the Taoiseach to ask them to do so and to do what is necessary. If that requires further Exchequer funds in addition to their revenue from the RTÉ licence fee allocation, then so be it, that should be done. The two orchestras could then plan with a degree of certainty and excitement for the future instead of being at the whim of various reviews every year. There was one such review in 2014.

Is it the Taoiseach's intention to intervene to guarantee that ring fenced funding for the two orchestras?

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