Sir, - I would be obliged if you could afford me the opportunity of clarifying a number of statements in Paul Cullen's article "Humour in Evidence", (Weekend, July 25th). With regard to my quote, "it just filtered down to us that the show wasn't going on", may I state that the series producer, Noelle O'Reilly, informed me in or around the beginning of June that the Tonight programme would be going off the air at the end of the month. Ms O'Reilly told me, however, that if anything interesting or worthwhile developed at the tribunals it would be given air-time on special editions of the Tonight programme.
Ms O'Reilly asked me if I would be available to take part in any such programme. She stated categorically that if Mr Charles Haughey gave evidence at the Moriarty Tribunal it would definitely be featured on the programme and that she would make every effort to facilitate me taking part in any re-enactments of evidence for the nightly broadcasts. I personally negotiated my fee with Ms O'Reilly and we agreed on the amount. My reference to "a busman's wage" was meant as a joke.
I am frequently told by people who listen to the Tonight Show, "you must be getting well paid for that", and my standard, throwaway reply is "a busman's wage" - i.e. we each work long hours for our pay.
My working relationship with Ms O'Reilly and indeed all producers and researchers on the show has been excellent and I trust it will continue to be so. I apologise to your reporter Paul Cullen for any impression I may have given him that I had been shown a "bad attitude" by anyone working on the Tonight show and I apologise to Ms O'Reilly for any upset caused by my ill-chosen comments in the article. - Yours, etc.
Joseph A. Taylor, Pembroke Street, Irishtown, Dublin 4.