It has been pointed out before that Ireland likes to pride itself on the prowess of its musical sons and daughters, openly acknowledging the adversities they have had to face in education and opportunity at home in making their way in a very international and competitive world. Music, as the saying goes, knows no boundaries. However, training and employment opportunities here remain appallingly limited by international standards.

With Arts Council funding on the increase as never before, the time seems ripe for remedial intervention. Allocating music a mere 4.4 per cent of its extra government funding, as the Arts Council did this year, could hardly be anyone's idea of the best way forward. The council now has the resources. It's time for some of that "real impact".