Madam, - It was with great interest that I read your article on music therapy (October 30th). As Chair of an Oireachtas Committee in the 29th Dáil which compiled a report on this issue, I feel very strongly that that there needs to be a broader understanding of the role and value music can play in hospitals and educational institutions.
Despite, a course in Limerick, music therapists are not professionally recognised. Like your feature, our report found that that those who had had an encounter with music therapy valued it highly but very few were exposed to it. It is now time that we put music into the same level of consciousness and multi-disciplinary teams as other accepted therapies.
I would encourage those interested in mental health; mother and child bonding; Alzheimers and special needs education, to read the report on the Oireachtas website under the committee reports for Arts Sport and Tourism. - Yours, etc,
Senator CECILIA KEAVENEY, Moville, Co Donegal.