Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

580. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his Department has any scheme or grant available to assist schools at primary and post primary level who wish to teach students how to play the traditional Irish harp; if any agencies receiving funding from his Department are active in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16927/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As outlined in the Programme for Government, this Government believes that culture and the arts are essential to a well-rounded society, providing opportunities for education, expression and community engagement. Ireland is world renowned for our rich, diverse and vibrant arts sector as well as for the unique sound of our national instrument the harp.

As a reflection of that commitment, funding for the Arts Council has increased by 75% in recent years to €140 million in 2025. Under the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council has primary responsibility for stimulating public interest, promoting the practice and improving standards in the arts, including music.

Creative Schools is an initiative of the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027, supporting schools to put the arts and creativity at the heart of children’s and young people’s lives. Creative Schools is led by the Arts Council, in partnership with my Department and the Department of Education.

Since 2018, Creative Schools has supported schools over two years to develop and implement a bespoke Creative Schools plan. Each school participating in the initiative is provided with an operating grant of €4,000 in total over the two years and access to a trained Creative Associate, a school coordinator and voice of the child training. Access to the initiative is open to all Department of Education recognised primary and post-primary schools, Special Schools and Youthreach centres in the Free Education Scheme that have not already participated in a previous round of Creative Schools.

Creative Schools 2025 is currently open for applications from 25 February 2025 with a deadline of 8 May 2025. Details are available here:

The all-of-government Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027 supports a number of additional in school programmes. The Creative Engagement Programme is delivered by the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals and is an arts-in-education programme and entails an artist or artists coming into the school to work with the students. While not currently open for applications, further details are available here:

The Department of Education supports and administers other Creative Youth in-school programmes, such as:

• BLAST:
• Creative Clusters:
• Teacher Artist Partnership (TAP):

I would also like to bring to the Deputy's attention the introduction of a tax relief for uilleann pipes and Irish harp making announced in Budget 2023 by the then Minister for Finance. The relief provides for an income tax disregard of €20,000 on the profits made from the manufacture, maintenance and repair of sets of uilleann pipes and Irish harp.