Gardaí are investigating “alleged financial irregularities” in a Limerick high-wire dance troupe that received more than €1.15 million from the Arts Council since 2022. Fidget Feet declared €59,400 in financial “shortages” over three years.
The company is best known for acrobatic dance manoeuvres in the air, dazzling spectators with circus-like feats of physical agility that it presents with “an operatic twist”.
Now the high-flying group is facing questions about affairs on the ground – and Arts Council funding from its €140 million budget for supporting arts organisations.
Described as the national company for aerial dance theatre, Fidget Feet received €333,000 from the Arts Council in 2024. The Arts Council allocation had risen to €476,000 in 2023 from €344,828 in 2022, despite problems that led to the Garda investigation. Five Fidget Feet directors resigned last year, records show.
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In successive financial accounts, Fidget Feet declared “account shortfalls” that amounted to €9,500 in 2023, €31,300 in 2022 and €18,800 in 2021. “This has been reported to the relevant civil authorities and an investigation is currently on-going in relation to same,” said 2023 accounts signed off late last year.
Asked about Fidget Feet, the Garda said it does not comment on named entities. “Limerick Gardaí are investigating a report of alleged financial irregularities at an organisation based in the south of the country,” said a spokesman.
The Arts Council had no comment on Fidget Feet troubles, saying it “does not discuss the details of funding relationships with organisations”. There was no Arts Council reply when asked whether Fidget Feet notified the council of “certain shortages” in its financial records.
Fidget Feet has come into the spotlight as the Arts Council battles fallout from a disastrous computer project that left with it nothing to show for a €5.3 million investment. The IT debacle raised questions about lax controls in the Arts Council.
Responding to detailed questions, dance company creative director Chantal McCormick said by email: “Thank you for your queries, Fidget Feet does not discuss the details of funding relationships with funders.”
Fidget Feet and its chairman, Galway-based solicitor Mark Elliott, had no answer to questions about the status of the investigation.
One week before the company’s 2023 accounts were finalised in November 2024, Limerick accountants Baker Sheehy Considine resigned as Fidget Feet auditor “having been requested to do so by the directors”.
The former auditor declined to comment but said in an official filing there were “no circumstances” linked to its resignation “that we consider should be brought to the notice of the members or creditors of the company”.
Fidget Feet’s registered office is at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, where it is an artist company in residence. “Fidget Feet is an entirely independent organisation and a separate legal entity to UL. As such it would not be appropriate to comment,” said UL.
