Minister to help source funds for documentary on Joanne’s life

A junior minister has intervened to help a teenager born without limbs source funding to finish a film on her life.

Innovation Minister Sean Sherlock stepped in to help Joanne O’Riordan after the Irish Examiner revealed last week how the Irish Film Board (IFB) had rejected her film-making brother Steven’s application for funding to complete the documentary.

Donations and offers of help poured in afterwards from the public and film production companies. “About 40 people have contacted me, promising to support the project,” Steven said.