Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2017
43. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress on implementing the arts in education charter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4578/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to update us on progress on implementing the arts in education charter, and if she will make a statement on same.
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I know she has a particular interest in it.
A Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the continued implementation of the arts in education charter and my Department is working closely with the Department of Education and Skills and the Arts Council to deliver the objectives of the charter. The work of the two Departments and the Arts Council in implementing the charter is achieved largely through existing structures such as education centres. Good progress has been made to date in terms of launching Ireland’s first arts in education portal, holding national arts and education days and developing teacher artist partnerships through the education and training centres.
In terms of direct support for the arts, this is primarily a matter for the Arts Council and its ten-year strategy, Making Great Art Work 2016-2025, places specific emphasis on the need to plan and provide for children and young people. The strategy also commits to working to achieve full implementation of the arts in education charter. Arising from the significant increase of support of €5 million which I secured for the Arts Council as part of budget 2017, I am pleased to say that Arts Council funding in this area for 2017 has, in turn, increased from €3.1 million in 2016 to €3.7 million this year. That is a very clear indication that the Arts Council is prioritising arts participation by young people and children.
In addition to the charter, the Creative Ireland programme, which the Taoiseach and I launched in December, places a special focus on enabling the creative potential of every child. Building on the arts in education charter, this will involve the development of an integrated plan to enable every child in Ireland to access tuition in music, drama, art and coding by 2022. My Department will be working with relevant Departments and other stakeholders over the coming months to develop this plan.
In the 2016 A Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government committed itself to implementing the arts in education charter, and specifically the local arts in education partnership, which as we know goes across departmental strands between the Minister and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton. We need to have both Departments heavily involved in that regard. Does the Minister and the Minister, Deputy Bruton, have any practical plans in place for the implementation of local arts in education partnerships throughout the country?
Yes, it is in the programme for Government. Also, a key priority in 2017 will be the advancement of the Creative Ireland programme, in particular pillar one, which is enabling the creative potential of every child element. A key feature will be the launch of "Creative Children", which will be an integrated implementation plan, and the creative schools programme in September. My Department is working very closely with the Department of Education and Skills to deliver that programme. One of the key objectives of Creative Ireland is that by 2022, every child in Ireland will have access to tuition and participation in art, music, drama and coding. There will be a cross-departmental approach to this involving my Department, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Arts Council and the Heritage Council. The Ministers, Deputy Bruton and Deputy Zappone, are very support of this initiative.
I thank the Minister. Is that a separate scheme with regard to a schools programme or one that will be run in parallel to the local arts in education partnerships? Has that idea been scrapped? Is this a new one in place of that?
Regarding the local arts in education partnership, the Arts Council has got additional funding and it is now taking the lead in rolling out the actions in the arts in education charter. That came about as a result of that charter. It was a very useful pilot in Monaghan, and the Deputy is very familiar with it, which highlighted the benefits of working together. However, having succeeded in getting the significant additional resources for the Arts Council, it is clear that the best way to deliver the charter is for the Arts Council to work with the education centres and all the providers who support teachers across the spectrum. The wider ambition is the Creative Ireland initiative, and I want children to have access to tuition and participation in arts. By 2022, every child in the country should have access to that because we know that when children have access to the arts, it is good for their self-esteem and good for them in the longer term. They are more creative and open-minded, and they perform better at school. There is a big focus on that, and it is very important.
