Council rules out funding increase for Limerick-based orchestra

LIMERICK council’s arts office is not in a position to provide more financial support to the Irish Chamber Orchestra.

At this month’s full local authority meeting, Fine Gael councillor Noreen Stokes asked that money be found for the band’s education and community engagement work.

“The funding is essential to enable them to continue their offering of programmes free-of-charge to schools and community groups, providing access to music and the arts for those who may require it,” the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District councillor said.

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But arts officer Etain McCooey said the local authority does not have the resources to add to the €11,000 it gives each year to the ICO, based at University of Limerick’s campus in Castletroy.

“It is the view of the Arts Office that the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s education and community programme is valuable and impactful. However, the Arts Office does not have resources under our budget allocation to increase current budgeted supports to the ICO in 2025,” Ms McCooey wrote in reply to the notice of motion from Cllr Stokes.

She did however leave the door open to a request or proposal for increased funding for the orchestra, in the context of next year’s local budget which will be agreed in November.

Cllr Stokes’s motion was seconded by Cllr Shane Hickey O’Mara of Social Democrats.