Jimmy Deenihan, T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Lucinda Creighton T.D., Minister of State for European Affairs at the Deptartmrent of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade officially launch Culture Connects, Ireland's EU Cultural Programme.

At The National Gallery, Culture Connects is a wide and varied programme which involves the engagement of Irish artists in Europe and beyond and European artists in Ireland.

It is a key element in Ireland’s plans to celebrate the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first six months of 2013.