Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her presentation and outlining the provisions of the Bill on the National Concert Hall. It is exactly one year on today from the agreement that has paved the way for the Bill and the formalisation of the relationship between the NSO and the NCH.

The Minister mentioned the challenges the symphony orchestra was facing and the Boaden report of April 2018. It gave me cause to look back on notes from that year because we dealt with the Boaden report in the committee in October 2018. At the time, I recall that the head of RTÉ Lyric FM and the RTÉ orchestras, Mr. Aodán Ó Dubhghaill, told the committee that RTÉ had seen its total income decrease by approximately €100 million in the period 2008 to 2016. He also referred on that particular occasion to the licence fee still being unreformed. He outlined that budget cuts of some 11% had left morale in the orchestras at a low ebb, and that RTÉ had to sharply reduce commitments to touring and the educational activity of the orchestras. He stated that the review concluded that neither of the two full-time orchestras should be closed. That was the reason we were dealing with the report at the time. There had been petitions from members of the public who cared about the orchestras and the cultural history of this country and believed that an effort must be made to save them. The recommendation was that the NSO should be established as either a cultural institution in its own right or become part of the National Concert Hall. I noted in my contribution at the time the fact that both orchestras, as well as being intrinsically linked to the NCH, did have a record of touring. As a local representative, I was privileged to welcome the orchestra to the Solstice Arts Centre in Navan, which I opened. The overall aim of the decision regarding the transfer is to enable the orchestra to be established as a world-class orchestra, which with the NCH would provide a creative, imaginative programme strategy that would greatly enhance the offering of the combined organisation to the public. It is important to note that in last year’s budget the Minister alluded to the cost of running an orchestra and that approximately €8 million was transferred to enable the transfer of the symphony orchestra and the choirs to the NCH, which would largely equate to the estimated running cost of the NSO.

The finalisation and formalisation of this process comes at the perfect time. It is in conjunction with the vision the Minister and the then Taoiseach, now Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin, announced before Christmas on the redevelopment and enhancement of the NCH. It is a superb vision for a superb space, one that is enjoyed by all of us. In the month of December alone, I attended three different performances, ranging from the “Sunday Miscellany” Christmas performance, which on that occasion used the RTÉ concert orchestra, acoustic sessions and the collaboration with the orchestra by the internationally renowned composer, Brian Byrne, who just happens to be from Navan.

As we do, the Minister values the cultural history, resonance and significance of the symphony orchestra, concert orchestra and the choirs. The process that started on this day last year, to ensure their survival was a proud day. It was a good day for the cultural integrity and history of this country. In conjunction with that, the Government and the Minister are investing in the physical edifice, which is so intrinsically linked. When we looked at all of this following the Boaden report, most people had intrinsically linked the symphony orchestra with the building. We have a perfect collaboration and coming together as well as the securing of the future of the symphony orchestra and the enhancement of the physical edifice of the National Concert Hall, which it occupies and brings to life.

Many have spoken in the past about things that have been done wrong. This is a significant step for the enhancement of our orchestras and the cultural stamp they leave on this country. I pay tribute to the Minister. I look forward to the swift progression of the Bill.