Written answers

Wednesday, 1 March 2017

Department of Education and Skills

Departmental Programmes

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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42. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for Music Generation; if the success of this initiative will result in similar initiatives for other art forms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10483/17]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides funding support to the Music Generation programme of €2.5 million annually. This is in respect of the 11 local Music Education Partnerships (MEPs) established under Phase 1 of the programme, which were initially supported through philanthropic funding.

In January 2016, a commitment was given by my Department, subject to resources, to provide further funding to support a second phase of Music Generation. This commitment would see Exchequer support increase to some €5 million annually from 2020.

In January of 2017, a call was announced for new Music Education Partnerships to apply for inclusion in Phase 2 of Music Generation. A total of €3m in funding, from philanthropic investment by U2 and The Ireland Funds, is available through this call. This will enable Music Generation’s expansion into new areas across Ireland between 2017 and 2021. This welcome expansion of Music Generation is mentioned in my Department's Action Plan for Education.

'Creative Ireland' is the Government’s Legacy Programme for the successful 'Ireland 2016' initiative.  It is a five year programme, from 2017 to 2022, which places creativity at the centre of public policy. Devising an integrated implementation plan for Arts in Education is a priority under Pillar 1 of the programme, which is to enable the creative potential of every child. This includes the objective that by 2022 every child in Ireland will have access to tuition and participation in art, music, drama and coding. The plan – “Creative Children” – is to be launched in September 2017. My Department is working closely with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Arts Council in this matter.

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