The contest to be the next national city of culture will open later this year, and will be "informed by the experience and impact" of Limerick, according to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

However, the next year- long festival will not take place in 2016 as originally intended but has been pushed back to 2018 for cost reasons.

The selection of Limerick was criticised because it was chosen by central Government without any competition and left little time for the city to prepare, with its funding only announced in last October’s budget.

However, while it is not yet known when the next city will be chosen, the selection process will get under way later this year and contenders will be asked to meet certain criteria set out by the Government.

“It is the intention that the next city of culture will held by a city in 2018, with a selection process to commence during 2014,” a statement from the Department of Arts said.

“The announcement of the next holder will follow a competitive selection process . . . informed by the experience and impact of Limerick City of Culture.”

The decision to move the next event from 2016 to 2018 was taken last November, just after Limerick was allocated €6 million in the budget.

The department said it realised it could not afford to spend as much as €6 million every two years. “It is not envisaged that the department would be in a position to make a similar commitment again as soon as 2016, and it is, therefore, the intention that the next city of culture will be held by a city in 2018,” the statement added.

Allocation defended
The department defended the €6 million allocation to Limerick – which has been criticised as insufficient in some quarters – and said it was twice the amount given to "the cultural programme of the Irish presidency of the EU".

The short lead-in time was also criticised, with Limerick announced as the 2014 choice for the event in summer 2012.

In contrast, last November Hull was named the UK’s city of culture for 2017, and its €18 million budget is being underwritten by the local council.

The criteria for competing to be the next city of culture include an emphasis on arts and culture in the location itself; community involvement and a “bottom-up approach which seeks to unite cultural and socio-economic stakeholders”; events that will increase local participation in the arts, with the involvement of schools particularly important; the ability to use existing facilities and infrastructure; and the lasting impact on the chosen city.

Shared vision
The department added: "The city of culture should be seen as a focus to bring communities together to work towards a shared vision."

The Limerick event has been mired in controversy, following a spate of resignations, including those of its artistic director and chief executive.

Mike Fitzpatrick, head of Limerick School of Art and Design, was appointed interim head of the project earlier this week.