Back to drawing board for €44m arts academy plan

THE Government has gone back to the drawing board on a proposed €44m performance arts academy after four years of planning.

The Irish Academy for the Performing Arts (IAPA) was to be based at Dublin City University, with campuses at the University of Limerick and the Firkin Crane dance institute in Cork.

A 12-member governing body was appointed by then Education Minister Michael Woods last April. But his successor Noel Dempsey announced on Thursday night that funding is no longer available for the project.