Sir, - What an extraordinary outburst by the spokespersons of seven national women's organisations under the heading "Single Parenthood" (February 6th). They are concerned at the sensationalism and distortion of the remarks attributed to Ms Noreen Byrne, chairperson of the National Women's Council of Ireland in News week.
The problem is, however, that the remarks attributed to her were sensational, i.e. that men could or should be treated as "playthings" and, if this remark is a distortion, then she should simply and unambiguously rebut it. I have several times heard her on radio and TV speaking on this matter, and on every occasion she was flippant and chose to confuse rather than clarify.
It is precisely because she is chairperson of an organisation which claims the affiliation of 150 women's organisations that she should have immediately disassociated herself from such offensive remarks. I find it worrying that, after a period of reflection, these spokespersons for their respective organisations seemed to have learned nothing as to why there was such an angry public response to Ms Byrne's alleged remarks. The controversy was based not on some mysognistic tendency in the media but on Ms Byrne's reactions to simple questions relating to her interview in Newsweek.
I have no reason to doubt Ms Byrne's past record on women's affairs. However, it is her current attitude to Irish men that concerns me, and her consistent refusal to rebut what I originally thought was a misquotation in an otherwise excellent article. I'm afraid that this latest attempt to defend her raises more questions than it answers. - Yours, etc.,
Glenvara Park, Dublin 16.