RTE.ie reported that a €20 million funding package was unveiled to expand the Music Generation programme for Irish youth aged 13 and older. The commitment includes €5 million from the rock band U2, an equal €5 million contribution from The Ireland Funds and a €10 million allocation from the government.
The announcement was made at The Ireland Funds’ 50th‑anniversary gala dinner held at Dublin Castle, where Taoiseach Micheál Martin, U2 members The Edge and Adam Clayton, Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton and The Ireland Funds CEO Caitriona Fottrell confirmed the partnership.
Music Generation, launched in 2010 with initial support from U2 and The Ireland Funds, currently reaches about 130,000 children and young people—roughly one in ten across the country—through a variety of music‑education programmes.
The new funding aims to target young people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, using music as a tool for inclusion and wellbeing. Planned workshops and classes will be delivered in collaboration with Education and Training Boards, with planning set to begin later this year and a rollout slated for 2027.
Government officials highlighted the investment as part of the Child Poverty and Well‑Being programme, emphasizing its expected benefits for confidence, self‑esteem and mental health among disadvantaged youth.
For more information, visit rte.ie.