Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his attention has been drawn to the fact that funding for three art organisations in County Donegal has been cut by 100%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14986/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The provision of funding for the organisations to which the Deputy refers is a matter for the Arts Council. I have no statutory function in relation to Arts Council funding decisions, and, in fact, I am precluded from involvement in those decisions under the Arts Act, 2003.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 308: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the actions if any, being taken in conjunction with the Northern Assembly's Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Carál Ní Chuilín, to promote Derry as the city of culture 2013. [15003/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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In 2010 and 2011, under the Co-operation with Northern Ireland funding scheme, my Department provided funding to help support a Cultural Broker position in Derry. The post was seen as playing a central role in the preparation and delivery of the plans for Derry City of Culture 2013 programme.

As part of the wider role being played by the Government to support Derry to maximise the impact of its designation as UK City of Culture 2013, my Department and its agencies have been working with the City of Culture team to identify a range of projects for collaboration. Culture Ireland is working with the organisers on a number of projects that have an international touring dimension. My Department is also exploring the potential for partnering with Derry 2013 as part of the Culture Programme for Ireland's EU Presidency, focussing in particular on the City of Culture programme strand that celebrates the influence of St Columba (Colmcille) on Irish and European history.

I understand that the Arts Council is also exploring opportunities to work on elements with cross-border potential.