A chara, - Nicholas Carolan states (April 22nd) that "there is no conspiracy against the report; objections are individually driven . . ." This makes strange reading when, in fact, I have in my possession documentation to show that the opposite is the case. The "scandalous catalogue of facts" on the orchestration of opposition to the report is now a matter of public record.
I responded to Mr Carolan's previous innuendo regarding the cost of the report and stated that I received no financial reward whatsoever and this is beyond contradiction. Mr Carolan seems to be obsessed with semantics. However, if The Irish Times will allow space, the arithmetic is quite simple: £2,000 less tax equals £1,080, all of which was expended as outlined in my last letter on the preparation of the report. Why is it necessary for Mr Carolan to try to diminish the report in such a disingenuous manner?
On the question of time at my disposal to complete the report, the record will show that from the time the decision was made to appoint rapporteurs for two reports; their availability of time; and the subsequent time constraints placed on the rapporteurs, the time for the actual work was in the region of a few weeks.
I wish Mr Carolan's exhibition in the "real world" every success and I know that he will be aware that the same world has a lot to offer at home and abroad in the area of traditional arts. - Yours, etc., Senator Labhras O Murchu,
Caiseal Mumhan, Co Thiobraid Arann.
