Madam, - I refer to the letter from John Deaton (November 19th). Itis so mis-representative of the facts that I can only think that youprinted it to stimulate response.
Mr Deaton says that "The Bill was a result of a most democraticprocess.The Minister invited the public to submit observations andproposals."
It is true that the Bill was published after Síle de Valera staged ademocratic-seeming process, but she then completely ignored the resultsof it. The only response to the Minister's invitation that was infavour of the idea of a "Traditional Music Council" came from ComhaltasCeoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ). Scores of other groups and individuals workingin this field opposed the idea.
Is this Mr Deaton's idea of democracy?
Mr Deaton says:"This invitation received a great response and wassummarised in the Dorgan Report". Has Mr Deaton read this report? Theauthor of it concluded that he could find little support for the ideaof a "Traditional Music Council".
Referring to the responses favourable to this idea that did come in,he noted that they all originated in CCÉ circles and remarked that"they seemed to be all singing from the same hymn sheet".
Mr Deaton says that "The Minister then arranged a weekend conferencein Dún Laoghaire, which was attended by interested bodies and wasreported on by Price Waterhouse Cooper." This is indeed true.
Unfortunately for Mr Deaton's argument, the majority of theattendance at that meeting was opposed to the idea of a "TraditionalMusic Council", and the Price Waterhouse Cooper report did notrecommend it.
All this sleight-of-hand is contained in only one paragraph of MrDeaton's letter. As his argument for the retention of the Arts Bill inits present form is based on these half-truths, can anybody take itseriously?
This whole issue has arisen because of the failure of successiveArts Councils to provide adequate funding for the only form of musicthat has originated on this island.
The creation of a structure that would be vulnerable to sectional manipulation is not the answer.
It would be distrusted by the the traditional music world (exceptCCÉ of course) because of the undue influence that CCÉ wouldundoubtedly have in it. It would be distrusted by the Arts Councilitself for the same reason, and would inevitably result inconfrontation and acrimony on the Council.
There is another way. The Minister could simply require the ArtsCouncil to set up its own internal sub-committee (with no outsideappointees) with a remit to consult widely in the world of traditionalmusic in order to frame Arts Council policy for that sector.
If such a body was seen to be receptive to everyone's views it wouldcommand respect and trust in the traditional music world. As asub-committee of the Arts Council it would have the confidence of thefull Council.
Irish traditional music should not be ghettoised. It is not so weakthat it needs special support. It does deserve to be taken seriously.The way to do this is for a properly constituted Arts Council toconsider, for the first time, the question "in what way can the state,through the Arts Council, promote the real interests of Irishtraditional music". - Yours, etc.,
Craike House,
Dean Court,
Dublin 8.