The British government has received approval from the European Commission to award grants worth €17.7 million (£12 million sterling) to promote Irish-language film and television in the North.
Funding for the Northern Irish Language Broadcast Fund will be provided for the period 2005-2007.
The purpose of the fund is to support the production of television and film output in the Irish language. The aid was authorised under EC Treaty rules that allow state aid for the promotion of culture.
"The fund fosters broadcasts for Irish language speakers and I am happy to approve state aid that promotes cultural and regional identity," EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said in a statement released today.
The establishment of the fund is one of Britain's commitments in the Belfast Agreement of 1998.
A minimum of 60 per cent of the spoken word in a film or television programme must be in Irish and must reach a substantial audience in the North to qualify for aid.
The beneficiaries will be independent, audiovisual production companies and in exceptional cases broadcasters.
The Joint Declaration in April 2003 stated that the British government would establish an Irish language Film & Television Production Fund.
Aid to promote culture may be authorised where such aid does not unduly distort competition, according to EC Treaty state aid rules.
