Taoiseach refuses to discuss funding for school of music

THE Taoiseach has struck a decidedly dud note with one of the most influential development groups in Cork by refusing to meet with them to discuss the Government’s refusal to fund the proposed €60 million Cork School of Music.

Today, the Cork Development Forum, which is made up of representatives from commercial, educational and developmental organisations throughout the city, will attempt to discuss the burning issue when the Taoiseach visits Cork.

This is despite the fact that a request, submitted weeks ago, for a meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was blankly refused on the grounds that he could not fit it into his busy Cork schedule.

“The Taoiseach’s visit to Cork is intended to be a good news day and we will do nothing to spoil that,” said Robin O’Sullivan, spokesman for the Cork Development Forum. However, Mr O’Sullivan made no attempt to conceal his organisation’s bitter disappointment at being refused a meeting with Mr Ahern. “The logjam preventing the construction of the long-awaited Cork School of Music is a matter which is of the utmost importance to the development of the region and is one which needs to be addressed at the highest political level.”

It was absurd, he added, that the school, its pupils and staff should be expected to function out of 17 different locations scattered throughout Cork, including hotel rooms, while the Government pleads penury for the next two years at least.

The 2,500 full- and part-time students of Cork School of Music have been using temporary and mostly inadequate facilities for almost two years.

The construction of the oft promised new facility was to be one of the first public private partnerships (PPP) in education, however, the necessary funding was delayed when An Taisce lodged an eleventh hour objection during the planning process. Education Minister Noel Dempsey has repeatedly claimed that EU rules on budgeting for PPPs mean it cannot be funded this year.

However, there is a groundswell of support for the school in Cork which does not accept the minister’s excuse.

In any case, Eurostat, the body concerned, has denied any such ruling has been made.

The building could be finished during Cork’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2005, if the Government gives a funding commitment before the end of the summer.

If the project does not get underway this summer, TUI members at the School of Music have threatened to halt their work in the old school building at Union Quay and other premises which they have deemed already unsuitable.

Most music classes have been conducted in Moore’s Hotel since September, 2001.

The preferred bidders for the development project, Jarvis, have not been given any definite information about the status of the deal since early last year.

It is believed that the company could make a claim for millions of euro already spent on planning and design, if the project is not given the go-ahead.