News – Abbey ultimatum

The Irish Arts Council has demanded the company that runs the Abbey Theatre be closed down and replaced with a new organisation. It has agreed to fund operating costs for the beleaguered national theatre until the end of August on condition that the National Theatre Society, which runs the organisation, commits to dissolving itself.
Auditors, called in to investigate the company?s accounts after a e1m black-hole was discovered in May (AP issue 98, 23 May), have found further unaccounted losses leaving the organisation e3.4m in debt. Olive Braiden, Chair of the Arts Council, described the funding body as ?extremely angry? but emphasised a determination to saving the Abbey as a ?major national cultural institution.?