Promoting Irish artists abroad

An unexpected vacancy has arisen in RTE's music department, writes Michael Dervan. Simon Taylor, head of the station's orchestras and performing groups, is taking 10 months leave of absence to research the establishment of an Irish cultural institute for the international promotion of Irish art and artists. It's not, he says, "a highly novel idea, but I'm working on it from a new angle". The nature of his leave of absence, he says, means that if he does return to RTE next year, he won't be going back into the same job. So his departure and possible return will not impact in any way on the proposed management re-structuring within the music department, due to be announced shortly by director of music, Niall Doyle.