Vol. 529 No. 3
7 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will give an up to date report on the provision of an Academy for the Performing Arts to be sited at Dublin City University; the way in which it is intended to have the academy operate as an independent entity in view of its location on the campus of Dublin City University; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2718/01]
A planning and steering group was set up on 27 January 2000 in order to develop, advise on, facilitate and monitor the process of establishing the proposed Irish Academy for the Performing Arts. This group is chaired by Dr. Danny O'Hare former President of Dublin City University, and has representatives drawn from the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, the Department of Finance, the Higher Education Authority, third level institutions, the Arts Council and bodies providing professional education and training in music, dance and drama. The group has met on a number of occasions and its work is ongoing.
While the headquarters of the new academy are to be located on the campus of Dublin City University, it has always been the Government's clear intention that the academy would be an independent and autonomous body. All arrangements entered into between the academy and Dublin City University will underpin this autonomy. Precise arrangements in this regard will be a matter for the academy to determine in conjunction with the university.
What stage has this concept reached and how far are we from a physical structure? If this academy is to be both autonomous and on the Dublin City University campus, how is that to be achieved if it must use the campus facilities?
There is no particular difficulty with having an autonomous body in the same field and making use of particular facilities. The problem is more that the other bodies, who will co-operate with it, want to maintain their autonomy. This issue is still under discussion and there are difficulties in that area. However, the next steps will involve the appointment of an interim governing body and one of its first duties will be the appointment of a president. It will be necessary to go ahead with that appointment while discussions are still ongoing with the Royal Irish Academy of Music and the University of Limerick in relation to their participation in it.
What relationship, if any, will the Academy for the Performing Arts have with the Dublin Institute of Technology, which has had a long involvement with the performing arts for more than 100 years? Does the Minister have a long-term view in terms of when he expects the academy to be a functioning entity?
The Government's original decision was to approve the establishment of an academy for the performing arts incorporating three aspects. The first was a headquarters and significant facilities on a site to be provided on the DCU campus, with music and drama training being provided by the Royal Irish Academy of Music and the Gaiety School of Acting respectively. The second aspect was a Limerick campus involving the existing Irish World Music Centre at the University of Limerick, while the third was an undergraduate professional dance facility based at the Firkrin Crane Dance Development Agency in Cork.
The steering group is broadly representative and it has had difficulties getting all the boards to agree to particular measures, etc. In any event, it will be necessary to go ahead with an interim board and the appointment of a president on the DCU campus. It may be possible for the interim board to include the other bodies on one basis or another. There are different suggestions about how they might co-operate and work, but they are not finalised.
