A Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism spokeswoman said the Abbey Theatre had not applied for any of the 530,000 funding made specially available for the Beckett Centenary Festival by minister John O'Donoghue.

She said the Abbey . . . whose director, Fiach Mac Conghail was previously an adviser to O'Donoghue . . . told the department it had already decided on its programme for the year. But she added that the department was still in talks with the Abbey which may produce something to honour Beckett next year.

The spokeswoman also confirmed that the Abbey's main rival, Michael Colgan at the Gate Theatre, has certain production rights over Beckett plays performed in Englishspeaking countries. This means Colgan . . .

who chairs the Beckett Centenary Festival Committee . . . can refuse permission for any competing theatre to stage Beckett plays. The spokeswoman could not say whether this had any bearing on the Abbey's decision to sidestep the celebrations.

The Gate received 130,000 in funding from O'Donoghue to stage nine of Beckett's plays, including his most famous play Waiting for Godot and a new production of Eh Joe