IT has been a month and not a peep has reached the ears of this column. At the end of April, Patrick Mason sent the text of a speech delivered to an extraordinary meeting of the National Theatre Society Board members to all members of the Oireachtas and other interested parties including the Arts Council.

The speech called for real dialogue and debate as to whether we want a national theatre, or can afford one at all. And if we do want one, the speech continued, it had to be funded adequately.

So where is the debate?. Where is the response? Where are the ideas?