I wish to raise the need for an extension to the Cork School of Music at Union Quay, Cork. Cork has been treated badly in the third level capital allocations this year. In a city with a university, a regional and other colleges the capital allocation is derisory compared with other centres.
Sanction for the extension in this case was announced in 1978 by the then Minister for Education, Deputy John Wilson. The Cork School of Music is a constituent college of the Cork Regional Technical College which owns the site. Complete architectural plans for the extension exist and planning permission was obtained in 1985 from Cork Corporation. The site is located in an area designated under the Urban Renewal Act, 1986 for which Cork Corporation has prepared a Waterfront Development Plan.
The undeveloped site at Union Quay is an eyesore and a scar on the waterfront. Its immediate development is important as it is a major part of the Cork City Development Plan 1992. Cork Corporation fully supports the sanction of the application from Cork Regional Technical College to build an extension to Cork School of Music.
The extension is required for a number of reasons. The site is a derelict site and Cork Regional Technical College pays an annual fine of £3,750 to Cork Corporation under the Derelict Sites Act because of that. The extension will replace the school's annex which was closed down having been declared unsuitable and unsafe as an educational premises by Cork Corporation's chief fire officer. It will provide the school with sufficient accommodation to develop a programme of third level courses for which it already has the necessary staff resources.
It will enable the school to make a major contribution to job creation, enhance Cork city and county as a tourist attraction, provide vocationally orientated third level training in Munster for students of music, speech and drama and provide adult and continuing education in Cork city and county. It will be possible to generate revenue by renting rooms in the extension during vacation times, in particular the auditorium and the rehearsal rooms to the large cross section of city based performing groups which depend on the staff and students of the Cork School of Music for their membership and organisation. At present the activities of the school are scattered throughout the city in different halls and buildings and as a result the proper linking and development of departments is not taking place.
The total estimated cost of the project in 1993 terms would be £3.8 million. It is extremely important that the Minister give the go ahead for this extension.
Many teachers are forced to teach at advance levels in rooms that are far too small for instruments such as wind instruments and for singing. There is a lack of adequate classroom space for aural training, theory classes and for activities such as chamber music, band, choir and orchestral rehearsals.
The school library is housed in a room measuring 8 feet by 20 feet without natural light or ventilation. There is also an acute shortage of storage space in the school. Staff room facilities and office accommodation are grossly inadequate. At present five heads of department share one room.
Increased third level activity will require the provision of these and additional student facilities such as canteens. The Cork School of Music has the staff, but not the premises to develop its present third level courses into a highly flexible structure which would offer vocational training in speech and drama as well as music to students aspiring to become performers, teachers, community art officers, sound engineers, organists and choir masters and mistresses.
The expanded structure based on the present third level course would provide for the award of a certificate diploma and a degree. Because of the present situation the bulk of the Cork School of Music's library stock is in storage due to lack of space. The school has the staff but not the premises to develop a variety of post graduate courses.
If this extension is granted the Cork School of Music will be uniquely poised to realise the potential of collaborations which are possible with the scientific and technical staff of regional technical college, the staff of the Crawford College of Art and Design, RTE and the music department of University College Cork. The extension would also enable the college to give support to creative artists because it would have the accommodation necessary to originate, support and sustain a composer in residence scheme. It would also be in a position to facilitate a variety of temporary music ensembles.
The extension will also enable the Cork School of Music to contribute significantly to job creation through the provision of summer schools, summer camps, and pre-school programmes.
It will be in a position to accommodate professional services for FÁS supported schemes and will also enhance the employment potential of musicians aspiring to make a career in spheres of popular music including rock, folk and jazz.
It will create a demand for catering services by virtue of the large numbers using the facilities. It will also develop a self-financing examination centre based on its widely respected syllabus and examination system.
I am sure the Minister will reply he has received revised submissions from the regional technical college, but this project has been under consideration since 1978. I ask the Minister to realise that Cork can wait no longer for this badly needed extension to the school if it is to retain its high standards.
