Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 284: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action he will take to promote interest in the arts at primary and second level schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37891/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Working through the arts helps to nurture and develop cognitive, communicative, emotional, imaginative, aesthetic, social, and spiritual intelligences and skills. Arts education in primary schools, through the subjects of Music, Visual Arts, Drama, and through language, provides opportunities for a child to express ideas, feelings and imaginative insights, to make sense of and express his/her world in visual tangible form; and to make, listen and respond to art.

At post primary level, education in Art and Craft, Music, and in the literature, drama, poetry and film dimensions of language subjects, provides an important vehicle for self expression and creativity, and a way of bringing to the fore themes of everyday life which warrant exploration and group discussion as part of the learning process. This education also builds foundation skills in a key vocational/business sector of the economy. The Artists in Schools Guidelines, developed jointly by the Arts Council and my Department provide practical help for primary and post primary schools on how to plan and implement "arts in education" practice. This is where practising artists give of their time and expertise to work closely with schools, and students get the opportunity to get real experience of the arts in action in communities, both as visitors and participants.

In addition to supporting Music in the curriculum an additional allocation of the equivalent of 93 whole time teaching posts are 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.

This investment is supplemented through a series of summer programmes in the Arts in disadvantaged schools, and a Music Initiative under which schools in disadvantaged areas are given once off funds to purchase or replace musical instruments. More recently with the support of philanthropic donations from U2 and the Ireland funds, and with the collaboration of Music Network, it has been found possible to announce the establishment of a Music Education for All project, under which 12 additional Music Education Partnerships will be established throughout the country building on an existing model which has been successfully piloted. The initiative will be co-ordinated by Music Network and will be implemented on a phased basis over the coming years. My Department also provides for substantial levels of investment in Arts Education at Further and Higher level.