Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 February 2019
96. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the potential funding streams that assist young students of music to travel to the United States of America to engage in workshops and programmes in order to develop their talents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7302/19]
View answerMy Department funds a number of music education organisations, both directly and through a number of initiatives, including Music Generation and the Non-Mainstream Music Education Bursary. These initiatives are intended to be accessible to all learners. My Department does not directly fund scholarships for individuals or schools to attend workshops and programmes abroad.
Music Generation was formed by a partnership between U2, Music Network, the International Funds for Ireland and the education sector has enabled a series of Music Education Partnerships (MEPs) to be established around the country on a phased basis to provide vocal and instrumental music tuition for young people. The intention was that the philanthropic contributions would fund 50% of the initiative in the early years of development with local Music Education Partners (ETBs and local authorities) providing the other 50%, and that programmes would be continued into the future with Exchequer funding when the philanthropic donations cease.
Philanthropic funding for Phase 1 of Music Generation was phased out and the Department of Education and Skills has taken over 50% funding of Music Generation between 2014 and 2016, with the balance provided by partners in the local MEPs. In 2016 all funding for established Phase 1 Music Education Partnerships came from the DES and the local partnerships, without philanthropic support.
Agreement was given for Phase 2 of Music Generation to proceed by the Department in 2016. Funded initially by philanthropic donations (U2 and The Ireland Funds) it involves the launch of up to 9 new Music Education Partnerships. These are initially being funded by philanthropic funding, including from U2, but will move, as for Phase 1, towards exchequer funding.
On 7 December 2017, at the launch of the Creative Youth programme, An Taoiseach announced that Phase 3 of Music Generation would proceed in the coming years, funded entirely with exchequer funding. This final phase will see Music Generation reach all areas of the country.
Music Generation currently reaches over 41,000 children and young people annually. This number will increase annually as more MEPs are established and rollout.
The Non-Mainstream Music Education Bursary is a DES funded initiative to provide additional funding to non-mainstream educational initiatives. The purpose of the scheme is to provide support by way of a cash grant, to established, smaller-scale, non-mainstream music education/community music initiatives with limited or no access to other forms of public funding. Grants are not intended for use on capital expenditure such as structural/building costs, but can be used for instruments. Award of the bursary is done based on published criteria. The scheme was first established in 2016 and continued in both 2017 and 2018. An announcement regarding the Bursary in 2019 will be made in the coming weeks.
