Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

One can kill something outright or one can have a slow strangulation and wearing down of a really important institution like the National Symphony Orchestra. Lots of small countries in Europe have four or five major symphony orchestras but the strength of our national orchestra has fallen to 68 players. A number of people have retired, others have left and a complete hold has been placed on recruiting new players. It is not that we lack musical talent in Ireland because we have many fantastic young musicians, qualified up to PhD level and beyond, who are now playing in orchestras and ensembles all over the world. It is not possible for them to come back home because the RTÉ symphony orchestra is not recruiting. That orchestra is a major source of employment for musicians and is vital to the musical heritage of this country.

I am delighted that the Minister has met the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, to discuss this matter. However, the Government has just launched a major report, part of which is about enhanced amenities and heritage. How come the word "culture" does not feature in the new national development plan? How come one of its objectives is not enhancing, maintaining, enabling and empowering our culture?

See this speech in context