Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to confirm that I meet Deputy McLellan's party colleague on a regular basis and that we have a good relationship. We will shortly be launching a programme, Gaeilge gan Stró, in the Dáil. I am sure Members will be invited to the launch. We launched the programme on Falls Road some time ago and we will launch it here when it is ready. The Arts Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland work closely with each other and both the Minister, Carál Ní Chuilín, MLA, and I have asked them to work closely together. We will be attending a joint meeting of the arts councils presently, which I have been requesting for some time. I hope the preparations have been put in place to allow us to meet. We have jointly launched a number of initiatives over the past two years. We agreed on a new approach to funding the Irish language and organisations. This approach was historical because it was around since 2004. We put it together with the Minister of State in my Department, Deputy McGinley. We enjoy close co-operation and I would personally like us to do even more together. A number of initiatives are envisaged on which we can work together.

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