The chief executive of the Millennium Forum in Derry has been sacked after the showpiece theatre ran into debt.
Mr Michael Poynor said today he had been given no reason for his dismissal but believed he had been made a scapegoat after criticism from the main funders of the entertainment complex over its financial state.
Following a meeting last night of the Derry Theatre Trust, which runs the Forum, Mr Poynor said he was called to discussions with its chairman, SDLP MLA Ms Annie Courtney.
"I was informed I was to cease work with immediate effect. I was given no reason," he said.
Ms Courtney refused to comment on the issue. "I have nothing to say, absolutely no comment. There will be a statement from the Trust next week."
The Trust meeting was called after the Forum's main financial backer, the Millennium Commission, had harsh words to say about the state of its finances in a report produced by independent reviews it called in.
The Forum is currently some £750,000 sterling in the red, but Mr Poynor said the figure was misleading and he stood by his record. "The current figure of £750,000 is being quoted as a possible reason for my being pushed out.
"But I think everyone should realise that £750,000 is made up of nearly half a million of the cost overrun of the building," he said.
"The operational cash flow deficit is £250,000, which is pretty damn good for a first year in a place which never had a theatre before".
Mr Poynor was appointed as chief executive of the Forum in September 1999, during its construction.
He said he was given an open-ended contract a year later after having been judged to have done a satisfactory job.
The complex finally opened to the public just over a year ago. Since then it has had 120,000 people through its doors - 20% more than original projections.
Derry City Council, which provides funding for the Forum and some of whose councillors are on the Trust, said they had not yet received formal notification of any decision taken at the Trust meeting.
But a statement said: "Along with other funding agencies we are expecting a full update shortly."
Mr Poynor said he was consulting with his union, Equity, before deciding what action to take.
PA