Vol. 504 No. 1
3 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the position regarding her proposal to site an academy for the performing arts at Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11068/99]
The interdepartmental working group established by the Minister for Education and Science and myself submitted its interim report on 31 July 1998. Both my colleague and I, and our respective officials have been considering the various issues raised in the interim report.
As I have indicated in my answer to previous questions there are still important issues to be decided in relation to the proposed academy. Principal among these are; the disciplines and skills that need to be encompassed in the new institution to answer the needs of the performing arts in Ireland at the beginning of the next millennium and; whether it will be possible or not to locate the academy in the Earlsfort Terrace building which is currently owned by University College Dublin.
In relation to the first point, I can say that, while the interdepartmental working group in its interim report suggested broad parameters for the academy, the group stated in the report that further discussion was needed to identify the precise areas of specialised training required and indeed the precise model for an academy in this country.
The Minister for Education and Science and I, believe it would be both useful and productive to have a more widespread public discussion at this stage on the proposed academy for the performing arts. I and my colleague both recognise that while the working group endeavoured to bring forward recommendations on the scope of the academy it was not possible for them to do other than to suggest broad parameters without engaging in detail with practitioners, tutors and others. We strongly agree that more discussion and consultation is required and we are pursuing this.
Formal consultations and meetings will be arranged with those involved in the teaching and practice of the performing arts. This will be with a view to bringing forward recommendations on the disciplines to be given priority in the proposed academy and the standards of qualifications and recognition. Since the submission of the report our officials have been independently looking at the possible scope and model for an academy and this work will inform the consultations with the practitioners I have just mentioned.
