Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

RTÉ recently published the report it commissioned from independent consultants Helen Boaden and Mediatique on the RTÉ Orchestras entitled RTÉ Orchestras: Ensuring a Sustainable Future. The report has recommended, inter alia, that the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra should be a national cultural institution in its own right or within the National Concert Hall and that the RTÉ Concert Orchestra should continue to be part of RTÉ, functioning as a classic radio orchestra. This is based on researching the model of symphonic music provision around Europe and the changing environment in which public sector broadcasting now exists.

Both the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment and I have welcomed the recommendations of the report and in particular that recommendation dealing with the status of the National Symphony Orchestra. The report offers the opportunity now to plan a way forward for both orchestras while ensuring that they can contribute fully to Ireland’s rich cultural heritage.

We have asked officials in our Departments to advance the recommendations of the report as a matter of priority. This will require intense engagement between both our Departments, RTÉ and the National Concert Hall. The concerns of employees of the orchestras will also be to the forefront of considerations and there will need to be significant engagement with them in this regard. I expect to bring an early report to Government to chart a way forward which will include the steps needed to address the recommendations.

This is an exciting time for orchestral music in Ireland with the proposed redevelopment of the National Concert Hall and the Government’s ambition under the Creative Ireland programme. Since it opened, the National Concert Hall has been the home of the National Symphony Orchestra and there is now an opportunity for it to play an even stronger role as part of these wider developments. The proposals in this report should be of long-term benefit to the musicians in both orchestras and should help address long-standing concerns about orchestral provision in Ireland.

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