Madam, - Val Mulkerns (April 4th) is confusing two motions at the recent assembly of Aosdána. The first one, to end all co-operation with state-sponsored Israeli cultural events and institutions, was defeated: 31 no, 19 yes, 26 abstentions. The second motion, mine, encouraging Irish artists and cultural institutions to reflect deeply before engaging in any such co-operation, was passed by a show of hands so large that it was not necessary to count the noes - ie a "healthy majority".
Neither motion called for "a ban on Israeli culture". - Yours, etc,
MARGARETTA D'ARCY, St Bridget's Place Lower, Galway.
A chara, - According to the Aosdána website, "the Arts Council established Aosdána in 1981 to honour those artists whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the arts in Ireland, and to encourage and assist members in devoting their energies fully to their art."
If this is Aosdána's mission, one wonders why members are devoting their energies to formulating a political stance against Israel. A cultural boycott had been proposed by Aosdána member Raymond Deane (who is also a founding member of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity campaign) and was amended as a call to artists to "reflect deeply" before dealing with that country.
The political situation in the Middle East is complex and can only be resolved by moderates, working together towards a peace process with support from outside. In Ireland, of all places, we should know this.
It may be time for the Government to "reflect deeply" about how much taxpayers' money is spent in giving Aosdána members a tax-free income on top of their tax-free artistic earnings. If Aosdána is supposed to help artists "devote their energies fully towards their art", it appears to have lost its way. - Is mise,
FERGAL RYAN, St Brigid's Road, Dublin 12.