Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this Adjournment matter and the Minister of State for coming to address it. Given his background, he might recognise the value of music in the classroom. Unfortunately, the reality is that many do not realise the music in the classroom programme has more than the capacity to teach them to play an instrument leading to a particular qualification. Therefore, I wish to refer to what is happening at St. Agnes's national school in Crumlin under the great direction and leadership of Sr. Bernadette Sweeney. Joanna Crooks and others also volunteer and give of their time. In St. Ultan's national school in Cherry Orchard every child must learn how to play the violin. Everyone was told he or she had to learn how to play because it stopped one person from mocking another and that if everybody had to do so, everyone was equal. RTE made a series of programmes about the scheme, the last of which was shown this week. The president of the international creative arts society is an Irishman, Mr. Michael Burke, who brought a team to see the school in action. The goal is not to produce little musicians. Sr. Bernadette was unable to attend a conference in Malta recently because the orchestra which does not comprise hand-picked musicians but everyone in the school was playing for the President.

I am rasing the issue because the community has seen the effects beyond the learning of music in terms of increased discipline, self-respect, self-confidence and the potential of children to be more than they and their families would have expected. The programmes show the difficulties of discipline evident in any classroom in any part of the country gradually being addressed. One sees the project in action and the progress which has been made, as well as children leaving primary school for secondary school.

I understand the project is helping in the development of the community and that people such as old age pensioners and others not connected with the school are involved. It is an example which the Government should examine, through the Department, to evaluate what is being done. I am told the overall cost of the project is some €23,000. Trying to deal with discipline in the Department of bad children, as some of the predecessors of the Minister of State might have called it, is difficult. If one is able to intervene with a whole-school cost of €23,000 and yield the results which, anecdotally, seem to have been achieved in St. Agnes's school and in Cherry Orchard, we must try to embrace the great opportunity presented by creating a role model to be introduced throughout the country.

We should hold on as much as possible to the volunteering aspect of the programme and try to maximise the involvement of the Arts Council and other agencies. However, as a musician, I do not see why a musician should have to voluntarily provide services in a school. We often underestimate the value of musicians and artists. It is very important, therefore, that it is not taken for granted that a person can play an instrument and go and transform an entire school. Such projects should be centrally funded and supported, but the cost should not be inflated to an incredible figure.

I hope the answer to the matter I raise is that this is a good project, that it is recognised as such and that the Department will evaluate it in order that it can be rolled out to other parts of the country. It cannot be rolled out immediately to all parts because we do not have a sufficient number of musicians ready to walk into a classroom. We should work with IMRO and others to achieve the maximum from minimum resources.