THE school concert, disco, sale of work and even nativity play are under threat from a demand by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) for at least £3 million in royalties from primary schools.
School managers have warned that IMRO's demand for a minimum £96 a year, plus VAT, from schools could put an end to playing music in schools and adversely affect the education of children.
IMRO has written to 3,200 primary schools warning that its permission is required for any public performance, which is defined as one taking place anywhere outside "the domestic circle". This may include performances in school halls, aerobics sessions, the use of music in fetes and film shows.
The only exception is for curricular activities all ended only by pupils and teachers. In most cases, however, teachers are deemed to be members of the public and therefore the use of a radio or television in a staff room must be licensed.
"The level of fee is punitive equivalent to more than two capitation grants" said Sister Eileen Randles, secretary of the Catholic Primary School Managers' Association. "Parents will be discouraged from seeing their `pride and joy' in the school concert, and the educational experience for children will be impaired."
The Fianna Fail education spokesman, Mr Micheiil Martin, said the licence demand is "anti music" and has called on the Minister for Enterprise and Employment to change the 1963 Copyright Act to exempt school performances.
IMRO says it is obliged under Irish and international law to collect royalties for composers and songwriters who are not currently being compensated for their product. "The performing right is a traded commodity it doesn't come down the chimney," said Mr Brian Power, field services manager for IMRO.
Mr Power says schools in other countries pay up. In Germany, for example, the Catholic hierarchy has said it will meet the cost of curricular and extra curricular music in its schools. "Even the Vatican pays copyright, so why should Irish schools be any different?"
