The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, has acceded to demands that a committee responsible for promoting Irish culture overseas be transferred from his Department.
The Cultural Relation Committee, which has been a part of the Department of Foreign Affairs since 1949, is to transfer to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
It is believed the decision follows intense lobbying by the Minister for Arts, Ms de Valera, and an announcement is expected to be made shortly on the decision.
The committee, which has 24 members, meets on a number of occasions each year and is due to meet today. It is expected its membership may be reduced following the transfer.
At present the committee, which is chaired by the administrator of the Dublin International Piano Competition Ms Ann Fuller, makes recommendations to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on expenditure on schemes for the promotion of Ireland's cultural relations abroad.
It is understood that it will have a budget of £350,000 this year.