Fermanagh is leading the way in Northern Ireland when it comes to securing funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Over the last three years the County has secured £647,789 from the Arts Council. This places Fermanagh just behind Belfast (£1,330, 087), in the league table of money received.

Meanwhile it means the County secured almost £200,000 more than the area which received the third highest amount, Craigavon (£449,564). Meanwhile, towns of a similar size also fell well below the Fermanagh total: Cookstown (£183,367); Omagh (£157,000); Dungannon (£52,990). Three Council areas, Ballymena, Limavady and Magherafelt received no money.

The cash was made available through lottery funding, money set aside by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Re-Imaging Communities programme.

The break-down was release by Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Edwin Poots, in response to an assembly question.