U2 behind €5m music scheme

U2 is to donate €5 million to a new scheme which will provide musical training to Irish children and young people.

The programme aims to teach young people to play a musical instrument or to have their voice trained.

“Being around music at a young age was important for us and we were lucky to have it at school," the Edge said, speaking on behalf of U2.

It will be rolled out on a phased basis between 2010 and 2015 and will be administered by non-profit organisation Music Network.

International charity The Ireland Funds will also finance the scheme and will begin a campaign to raise a further €2 million.

The band had been "looking for some time for a way to get involved in an initiative in music education in Ireland," the Edge said in a statement.

After speaking to various people in Ireland about what to do they concluded that scheme was "really well thought out" and that they should "get behind it".

Loretta Brennan Glucksman, chair of The American Ireland Fund believed that the scheme could make a "huge contribution to music education in Ireland.”

The programme is based on two pilot schemes which have been administered by Music Network and run by local Vocational Education Authorities in Donegal and Dublin since 2004.

It will provide music teachers throughout Ireland and will serve many types of music including jazz, classical, traditional and popular music.

Among those who can bid through tender for the funds are local authorities, VECs, private music schools, parent groups. They will have to show how they can generate matching funds and make the scheme long term sustainable.

The scheme was welcomed by Minister for Education and Science Batt O'Keeffe who said it had the "potential to create a true legacy for music education in Ireland.”