The Abbey Theatre's artistic director, Mr Ben Barnes, comfortably survived a motion of no confidence put forward at last night's extraordinary general meeting of the National Theatre Society.
Mr Barnes received the unanimous backing of the society's board, the managing director and most of the shareholders.
Only three shareholders voted in favour of the motion - Mr Jimmy Murphy, Mr Ulick O'Connor and Ms Kathleen Barrington.
Mr Barnes presented board members and shareholders with a document on the theatre's artistic and programming future. One shareholder said the presentation was convincing because it placed last week's restructuring announcement in the context of a broader artistic plan for the theatre. It was also felt that there should be an element of collective responsibility for the theatre's difficulties, the source said, adding that all at the theatre were now anxious to create a plan that "everyone could buy into".
The restructuring plan involves the loss of 30 of the Abbey's 91 contract and permanent staff over the next 15 months.
The meeting began at 7 p.m. in a rehearsal room of the Abbey and lasted around three and a half hours. Mr Barnes left before voting on the motion of no confidence took place.
Speaking before the meeting shareholder Mr Ulick O'Connor said that the theatre had been run down "very badly", mainly because it had "got away from its roots". Mr Barnes, he said, "hasn't done anything to help it".
Some shareholders expressed anger last week at Mr Barnes's absence in Australia when the job cuts were announced.
Mr Barnes, who was touring with an Abbey production of The Gigli Concert, said this week he had given advance notice to the society of the dates of the Australian tour.
There were also criticisms last week of the quality of Mr Barnes's artistic programme for the theatre's centenary year.
Though the summer revival of The Shaughraun topped the hoped-for average of 50 per cent ticket sales, it was the only play to do so. Others sold as little as 28 per cent seat capacity.
SIPTU members at the theatre have called on management to withdraw the restructuring plan that would lead to job cuts and requested an urgent meeting with the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue.
Audited accounts for 2003 have revealed an end-of-year deficit of €1.53 million.
A combination of ongoing deficit and a shortfall of approximately €750,000 in the expected income of the centenary fund-raising committee is expected to raise this deficit to €2.51 million by the end of the year.
Mr Barnes had recently announced he would not be renewing his contract with the Abbey after December 2005 and was planning to take up international offers.