The Sunday Times

Another dramatic twist for the Abbey: the national theatre is likely to move to O'Connell Street after a study concluded that it would take too long and cost too much to renovate the building at its current location. The Office of Public Works (OPW) looked at the possibility of buying properties around the Abbey in order to build a much bigger theatre at its existing site. But it has told John O'Donoghue, the arts minister, that the cost of this would be "prohibitive". The government is awaiting the outcome of a High Court battle over the Carlton cinema site on O'Connell Street before deciding its next move.