Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.

I am very aware of the excellent work being done by the school in question using music as a key vehicle to promote inclusion and effective learning. I congratulate it on its work in this area. Music helps children to respond creatively, express feelings and interact with others, as well as inculcating an appreciation of beauty and art. It supports the development of communication, co-ordination, numeracy, creative skills, social skills, team work and leadership skills, as well as promoting a child's self-esteem and enjoyment of learning.

Music is a core part of the arts curriculum in all classes in primary schools and comprises listening and responding, performing and composing activities. Rather than providing subject-specific grants, the Department provides an overall capitation grant towards the running costs of schools. The school capitation grant can be used for the purchase of resources to support any aspect of the curriculum, including music. Substantial additional grants are paid on top of this under the DEIS action plan on social inclusion and under the school completion programme for a flexible menu of measures to address disadvantage.

Schools have discretion as to how best to spend these funds within a framework of guidelines set out by the Department. The guidelines provide that funding may be used on initiatives to support retention, support and engage parents and the wider community, in co-operation with the youth sector, to promote cross-curricular literacy initiatives, music, dance, drama, as well as social, sport and leisure activities which impact on children's learning. These measures are all important in encouraging parental involvement and motivating children to attend school and experience success in learning. The music education projects in these schools, which are in DEIS and the school completion programme, fall well within the parameters of what can be funded under those programmes. Other than those additional resources to schools designated as disadvantaged, the Department is not in a position at this time to provide additional funding to support orchestras in primary schools.

The Department supports music as a subject at both junior and senior cycle level and provides teachers for this purpose. In addition, an allocation of the equivalent of 93 whole-time teaching posts is allocated to a range of VECs to support music education. This takes the form of individual tuition in instrumental and vocal music education and provision of supports for choirs, orchestras and ensembles. Through this some 68,000 hours of music tuition are provided annually for pupils at varying ages, including those of primary school age. The Department is also funding two pilot programmes in Dublin City and Donegal VECs which are promoting music education partnerships along the lines recommended in the Music Network report.

Last year the Minister announced a major initiative to expand music education. A partnership between U2, Music Network, the International Fund for Ireland and the education sector will enable a series of music network partnerships to be established around the country on a phased basis to provide vocal and instrumental music tuition for young people. The initiative has been made possible by a donation of €5 million from U2, and a commitment from the Ireland funds to raise €2 million. These contributions will fund the initiative in the early years of development, with the intention that programmes will be continued into the future with Exchequer funding when the donations cease.

Music Network is managing the overall initiative and is currently recruiting a project manager for the scheme. When the administrative arrangements have been put in place it is intended that Music Network will invite proposals for the establishment of area based partnerships which will provide vocal, instrumental and orchestra tuition for young people. The aim of the initiative will be to expand such partnerships throughout the country on a gradual basis.

Managed by Music Network, proposals will be invited on the basis of competitive tender. Local interests which include, for example, one or more local VECs and-or local authorities, local private music schools, parents groups etc, will be invited to bid for a three year subsidy to provide for the costs of teachers and local administration. It is unlikely that individual schools will be funded, but rather that an area-based service would support tuition in a wide range of locations including schools. An expansion of music education partnerships by Music Network will be rolled out over the period 2010-13 and it is possible that schools may benefit from this in the longer term.

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue.