The Government has published a bill to give legislative underpinning to the transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall (NCH).

This administrative transfer of the orchestra and choirs took place in January, and the orchestra and choirs are now operating fully within the NCH’s administrative structures.

The Government is describing the National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) (Amendment) Bill 2022 as a mainly technical piece of legislation to support the transfer.

‘Ambitious vision’

Its main provisions are:

• The transfer of functions relating to the NSO and choirs from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall,
• Standard provisions relating to the transfer of staff, property, liabilities, and legal undertakings related to the orchestra and choirs from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall, and
• An increase in the number of members of the board of the National Concert Hall to provide for a new member with specific expertise in the development of orchestras.

Catherine Martin (Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media) described the bill as “an important step in the journey of both the orchestra and the National Concert Hall”.

“The transfer is a critical part of the NCH’s ambitious vision for the development of symphonic music in Ireland, with a restored symphony orchestra taking its place in a 21st century concert hall,” she added.