The director of the Abbey Theatre, Fiach Mac Conghail, has expressed his dismay at the decision of Trinity College Dublin (TCD) to halt intake into its renowned three-year undergraduate degree course in acting studies with effect from this autumn.
He said it was essential that there was an "ample and continued provision in this country for actors to be trained at the highest, professional level".
The full-time course, which currently has an enrolment of 35 students, has been running since 1995 but is not financially viable, the university says.
Students on the course, entry to which is by audition, were informed earlier this week of the decision to discontinue it.
Unlike a similar two-year full- time diploma course currently offered by the private Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, fees for the undergraduate degree course at TCD are government-funded for first- time Irish or EU students.
The decision means students looking to avail of "high-level" full-time actor training of more than one year's duration could increasingly have to turn to British drama schools such as the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (Lamda).
However, the costs associated with studying in Britain are significant and competition is fierce.
TCD took in 16 first-year students to its undergraduate acting course this year.
Mr Mac Conghail said last night: "I am dismayed by the news that the school of drama at Trinity is to end its actor training undergraduate degree programme.
"Ireland is known for its actors as much as for its writers across the world and it is essential that there is an ample and continued provision in this country for actors to be trained at the highest, professional level.
"Trinity College should be able to sustain such a professional acting training course and I think there is cause for worry if this ceases to be the case."
A spokeswoman for the university said it was "refocusing practice-based training in drama".
This would include the development of a new one-year postgraduate course in acting.
However, she could not say how many places would be available on this course or when it would be introduced.
Students would also have to pay for the one-year postgraduate course, she confirmed, and the level of fees was still under discussion.
TCD was also expanding its BA degree in drama and theatre studies, with an increased emphasis on acting, she added.
The university has recently undertaken an extensive restructuring process.
In a recent interview with The Irish Times, TCD provost Dr John Hegarty strongly disputed any suggestion that this could undermine the arts and humanities, which remained a key part of the fabric of Trinity.
According to the TCD website, its BA degree in acting studies is "the only degree-level professional actor training programme in Ireland".
A number of other institutions offer broader drama degree and diploma programmes which include acting modules.
The Dublin Institute of Technology runs a three- year undergraduate degree in drama (performance).
Separately, it has emerged that the Gaiety School of Acting, in conjunction with Dublin City University, plans to offer a three- year undergraduate degree in acting.
Patrick Sutton, director of the school, said the course was currently undergoing validation.
Students will be able to avail of the free fees scheme at third level once this is completed, as it will be to full degree level.
Current annual fees for the two-year course are approximately €5,000.
One source in the drama community yesterday said TCD's plans for a one-year postgraduate course would mean aspiring actors coming out of school would have to get high-level training elsewhere, before pursuing this "top-up" course.
Such a course would also be particularly appealing to non-EU students.
"You are not replacing like with like at all," the source said.