Jan O’Sullivan TD, Spokesperson on Education and Science, Labour Party, writes:

With regard to the music education debate in recent issues of JMI, the Labour Party recently published a policy document entitled art4all which should be of interest to all of your readers, but particularly those who have been following this debate.

The document calls for a national strategy for the development of culture in Ireland, with arts education as naturally a fundamental component of such a strategy. Some of the key proposals include:

>> a designated Arts section within the Department of Education, to ensure good practice and the development of education in the arts within the curriculum;
>> a music entitlement scheme for all children at primary level which would be implemented through a system modelled on the peripatetic system advocated in Music Network’s recent report;
>> a capitation fund for art materials at primary and post-primary level;
>> a National Endowment Fund for the Arts, where tax efficient donations from individuals and corporations would fund among other things specialist training in an art form;
>> a scheme for artist-led projects in Primary and Secondary schools with the emphasis on providing quality art-making experiences for suitably motivated groups or classes.

The document is available on the policy section of the Labour website, www.labour.ie/policy/ and anyone who takes the time to read it will I’m sure recognise that Labour in government will make arts education a priority.

p.s. Your readers might also be interested in reading a short but lively debate which took place on music education in the Dáil on 15th February 2006 during oral questions to the Minister for Education and Science (http://debates.oireachtas.ie/Main.aspx). It was initiated by a question I submitted on behalf of one of my Labour Party colleagues and included participation by Deputies Cecilia Keaveney and Finian McGrath as well as the Minister and myself.