Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys has said the next Irish City of Culture is to be deferred.
Limerick's year as City of Culture is drawing to a close and the minister said the year of events has been a major success.
Another City of Culture had been expected to be designated for 2018, but the minister said due to the level of funding required and the fact that several cities will be bidding for European Capital of Culture in 2020, this will now be deferred.
An open competition for the selection of an Irish city as European Capital of Culture was officially announced today.
Several cities, including Limerick, Dublin, Galway and a southeast group, have already expressed an interest in the designation.
Interested cities have ten months in which to make an application and the winning city will be announced in 2016.
An information day for interested cities will be held in January.
