Sir, - Your edition of February 4th indicated that your Department of Finance "was unhappy with the fees agreed with Mr Paul Rowan". Permit me to set out a few facts for the record. Mr Rowan is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. Until very recently he was the senior partner of the Northern Ireland firm of Price Waterhouse. He had been previously involved in insolvency and financial reconstruction work in which he enjoyed the unqualified respect of his peers for his irreproachable personal and professional integrity. To that I would add that he has a robust Ulsterman's detestation both of plamas and of plamassers.
The remuneration per hour quoted is, broadly speaking, in line with the being paid out without cavil to lawyers engaged in the two tribunals seemingly interminably grinding on in Dublin. I write these lines unprompted and of my own volition, merely to set on record my unqualified respect for a former professional colleague (which respect I dole out with good Ulster thrift!) and also to express my humble (but I think correct) opinion that the Irish taxpayer will be splendidly served by Mr Rowan in the discharge of his duties. - Yours, etc.,
Philip G. Gormley, Chartered Accountant, Garden Street, Magherafelt, Co Derry