I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this important matter of the future of the Army School of Music and, in particular, the future of the band of the Curragh Command. I know that the Leas-Chathaoirligh and the Cathaoirleach who comes from Athlone will share my concern because the band of the Western Command is based there. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Barrett, for attending here this afternoon. I am aware that he dealt with this matter in another place.
There is not time this afternoon to go into the wider issues raised by the efficiency audit group and the Price Waterhouse report on the Army and the Department of Defence, other than to say that there is general agreement there must be change in the Defence Forces. However, I hope the Minister will agree that it would be highly undesirable to lose such valuable assets as the Army bands and the Army equestrian school.
The Minister is aware there are considerable fears inside and outside the Army about the future of the Army bands and the possibility that a great tradition of military music and ceremony could be lost. I note the Minister of State, Deputy Barrett, stated that no decisions have been taken regarding the reform of any unit of the Defence Forces and that almost all rumours are inaccurate. He also stated that the rumours and speculation about the Army School of Music are as inaccurate.
I submit that the fears about the band of the Curragh Command are real and not groundless. There are 193 people in the Army School of Music and the Price Waterhouse report recommends a figure of 45 to make up the strength of the school, which is only enough for one band. I understand from my inquiries that the Army general staff is agreeable to a strength of 80. In these circumstances, the fears are reasonable. The personnel in the band of the Curragh Command, the wider community around the Curragh, Kildare and Newbridge and I are concerned and I wish to have a guarantee from the Minister that the future of the Curragh band is secure. I do not want another bland statement such as that at column 1392 in the Dáil Official Report of 14 March 1995: "...the Government will take full account of the illustrious tradition of military music which has been associated with the Army School of Music."
I wish to remind the Minister of what this illustrious tradition means. There is an unbroken tradition of military music in the Curragh, dating back to 1813. At one time there were 11 bands in the Curragh alone and even during the transition from British to Irish rule, the St. James Band from Belfast provided military music there. As the Minister is aware, in 1923, the No. 1 Army Band under Colonel Friz Brase, Kaiser Wilhelm II's bandsman, was founded. On 13 October 1923, the Army School of Music was established at Beggars Bush Barracks under Commandant J. Coughlan. In addition to the brass bands, six pipe bands were formed so there is an unbroken tradition going back for more than 70 years. In his history of the Irish Army, Lieutenant Colonel John Duggan records of the 1920s and 1930s: "On a more positive note, the Irish public was developing a high regard for the Forces. The army bands had kept up the great start made in winning their hearts."
This is still true today and the support the band of the Curragh Command enjoys was very evident when it led the St. Patrick's Day parade in Newbridge. The band has played a very important role, not just in military tradition, but in the social and musical life of the county and beyond. The Newbridge Community Band, the St. Evin's Band in Monasterevin, the Ballymore Band and the band in Ballyroan, County Laois all owe their origins and training to members of the Curragh Command band. Half of our professional musicians are employed by the Army bands. They have been a huge help to local music groups and a gateway to alternative opportunities and successful musical careers for many young people.
The Minister gave an assurance that there will be no forced redundancies, but, with respect, that is not the issue. People who entered the Army School of Music at 14 years of age and stayed for more than 30 years may be willing to accept redundancy, but they would be a huge loss. The bands cannot be judged on the basis of a financial balance sheet alone. The chances of trained brass players getting employment elsewhere are slim.
The members of the bands have contributed to military morale, enhanced State and public occasions, have had leading composers compose music for them, have brought professional music to Cork, the Curragh and Athlone, and trained and arranged music for local bands that would otherwise not have existed. These are assets which do not appear on a financial balance sheet, but they must not be lost. I appeal to the Minister to give the assurance I need about their future.
