Dáil debates

Tuesday, 24 June 2008

10:00 pm

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this matter. I and a number of Deputies, including Deputy Ciarán Lynch who is present, attended a meeting in the Cork School of Music last Thursday. Some 250 to 300 people, mainly parents and children, attended that meeting. There were concerned about proposed cutbacks in the school of music's programme. The Minister may not be aware of this school of music but it has long tradition of music teaching and it part of the cultural heritage of Cork city and county and of the country.

The school was transferred from Cork city VEC to the CIT in 1992. Having been scattered across the city for five years, it is now located in a fantastic new building which was opened in 2007 at a cost of €80 million. It is a magnificent building that is architecturally splendid. I congratulate everyone involved in the construction of it.

We thought that the school would go from strength to strength and would expand, but now we have been told that the budget allocated to the CIT will be cut by €140,000, which I am sure the Minister will agree is a relatively small amount of money. We were told last Thursday the impact of this budgetary cut will be major. Part-time teaching hours will be reduced by 2,000 and first and second level students will bear the brunt of the cuts. This will affect primary and secondary students. I am sure the Minister will appreciate that where music is concerned the earlier students begin the better. If one curtails students at a young age one is, in effect, cutting off one's nose to spite one's face at a later stage. I am told the cutbacks will mean cuts of 50% in violin, viola and piano intake and also the permanent loss of some instruments such as the organ, and that the flute, oboe and harp intake will be curtailed, in addition to the elimination of intake to two junior choirs and two musicianship classes. There will also be cuts in accompaniment, class concerts and a reduction in the number of adjudicators. Cuts will mean places cannot be guaranteed in some of those areas in September. Where will the students go? The cuts may also have implications for the university sector because children feed into the third level. If one does not have children in the system, one will not have a third level.

I remind the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, that many national and international stars have come from the Cork School of Music. I will not name them here but I am sure the Minister knows who they are. The school has had great success and the students are very committed. Some of them have a 30-mile round trip to get to the school of music. Many other schools in the city and county have curtailed music teaching because much of the teaching has become concentrated in the Cork School of Music. The Minister of State will be aware that music is very good for confidence building in young children. Some parents at the meeting the other night said that they know where their children are and the children develop a love of music through their lessons.

The last thing we should do is curtail the work of the school. I said the other night at the meeting that we should be expanding the school, not curtailing it. I urge the Minister to re-examine the matter and to have discussions with the Cork Institute of Technology. I received a letter from the president of the CIT on 10 June in which he said there was no question of not providing the full range of music tuition currently available, but he went on to say that with respect of the Cork School of Music and its small contribution to the overall request for efficiencies — that means the budget is being curtailed — there would be some reduction in new, part-time student intake. That is the crux of the matter. I want other avenues of funding to be explored. We do not want the funding to be reduced. A colleague of mine who was abroad recently told people in other countries about the Cork School of Music and they were interested in sending students to it. At a time when people are talking about the big R word — recession — we should not cut back on such a facility, we should expand it. We should develop the talents and the unique heritage that exists for the benefit of all.

I am told there is a need to examine funding for music at a national level. We do not appear to have a national scheme for funding music; it is done on an ad hoc basis. I urge the Minister of State to consider that point. VECs, the ITs and other institutions get their budget half way through the year, which makes it is difficult for them to plan ahead. I urge the Minister to ensure that in future such schools will get their budgets in January so that they can make plans and work out their schemes properly.

More than 200 parents and students attended the meeting last Thursday night. They are anxious, committed and serious and they want the Government to assist to ensure this fantastic facility achieves its full potential for everybody concerned.

Photo of Michael FinneranMichael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I am taking the Adjournment debate because the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, cannot attend the House this evening. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment.

As the Deputy is aware, the Cork School of Music represents a constituent part of the Cork Institute of Technology, CIT. As institutes of technology are autonomous institutions, the Department of Education and Science has no role in their operational affairs. The institutes of technology receive a block grant from the Higher Education Authority and it is a matter for each institution to determine how it is allocated internally. In the case of the Cork School of Music, the Cork Institute of Technology will determine the level of funding to be allocated to the school.

I am aware of the annual demands for additional resources for the higher education sector and have afforded significant priority to investments in this area. Spending on higher education has increased dramatically in the past decade. When all higher education funding is taken into account, the overall provision by the Department of Education and Science for the sector amounts to approximately €2 billion for 2008. That is an increase of approximately 25% since 2005, when the provision amounted to €1.6 billion, and an increase of approximately 135% on the €850 million provided in 1997.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister give way for a question?

Photo of John CreganJohn Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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There is no facility to ask a question of the Minister.

Photo of Michael FinneranMichael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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In the case of the Cork Institute of Technology, I understand that recurrent funding for CIT has been increased in recent years from some €57 million in 2005 to almost €64 million this year. Its 2008 allocation represents an increase of 2.5% over its 2007 funding and an increase of approximately 12% since 2005. CIT has also benefited from substantial capital funding of approximately €80 million allocated since 1997.

The Cork School of Music, one of three pilot public private partnership projects undertaken by the Department of Education and Science, was completed in 2007 at a cost of approximately €51 million, excluding VAT. It is understood from the Cork Institute of Technology that in the context of the normal cycle of review and planning for next year, all faculties and constituent colleges have been requested to achieve efficiencies. It is also understood from the institute that, while there will be some small reduction in new part-time student intake, it will continue to offer the full range of music tuition currently available, including that for first and second level students, in the Cork School of Music.

I thank the Deputy for affording me the opportunity to respond to this House on the matter.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Can I——

Photo of John CreganJohn Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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We have to move on, Deputy Stanton.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I asked the Minister of State to give way.

Photo of John CreganJohn Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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I have to call Deputy Sherlock.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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On a point of order, am I not entitled to ask the Minister to give way?

Photo of John CreganJohn Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Not on the Adjournment.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Is that specified under Standing Orders?

Photo of John CreganJohn Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Absolutely.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Can I have the Standing Order in question sent to me, please?

Photo of John CreganJohn Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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That will be done.

Photo of Michael FinneranMichael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I have taken note of the point Deputy Stanton made about national funding and I will bring that matter to the attention of the Minister.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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What about cutbacks for first and second level students?

Photo of John CreganJohn Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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I am sorry but I cannot allow supplementary questions on the Adjournment. I call Deputy Sherlock.

Photo of Michael FinneranMichael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I indicated in the reply that there would be no cutbacks for first and second level students.