Sir, – Fiach Mac Conghail, the Abbey Theatre's director, and Niall MacMonagle can be proud of their contribution to theatre and writing respectively. But in their complaints (Home News, January 21st & Letters, January 21st) about Fintan O'Toole's report (Front page & Weekend Review, January 18th) detailing external reservations about the theatre's performance, they show a sad misunderstanding of a journalist's job.
Fintan O'Toole is not obliged to, and indeed should not, be expected to wait until the Abbey has prepared its particular spin on the assessors' opinions. Citizens who book the seats, taxpayers who subvent the Abbey, and indeed Irish Times readers are entitled to such information when it emerges, just as Mr Mac Conghail has a right of reply and comment.
There are still too many people, Government, utilities, charities among them, who don’t like releasing information, except of course on their own terms. – Yours, etc,
PAUL MURRAY,
Templeville Drive,
Templeogue, Dublin 6W.