Sir, - On behalf of the Board of College des Irlandais, Paris, I would like to respond to some of the points raised in the report by Lara Marlowe in your edition of May 23rd. Contrary to what is stated, there has not been a protracted and bitter struggle for control of the college. The Dublin-based company fully recognises the Government's entitlement to appoint new members to the Conseil d'Administration in Paris every four years. What we have complained about is lack of prior consultation, the casual dismissal of the efforts of the existing and previous board members, and the unfair suggestion that the present board was not making a meaningful contribution towards the maintenance and running of the college.
The Irish limited company was formed to facilitate the Government-appointed members to meet regularly in Dublin where they were located, and to administer the affairs and day-to-day running of the college, which were delegated to it by the Conseil d'Administration. Additional members who could bring specific skills to the board were invited to join and their appointments were approved by the then serving ambassadors in Paris. The college has been maintained by this board and the day-to-day management and running has been directed by it with much success.
The individual representatives on the board, past and present, gave their time unstintingly and free of charge, and in many cases incurred the expense of travelling to Paris out of their own pockets.
It should be noted that, with the exception of one generous grant of £150,000 made some years ago through the good offices of the then Minister for Foreign Affairs, the late Mr Brian Lenihan, no major financial aid has been forthcoming. The college has been maintained from income it has generated itself, but this has meant that there have been insufficient funds for its proper refurbishment. From the outset, the board has consistently requested the Government to assist the college financially and to restore it to its former prominence. Now it has made a commitment of £7 million for its redevelopment, which we welcome most heartily.
The current Ambassador, in his report to the Government, has apparently criticised the contribution of the Irish board. I find this very strange. Contrary to his views, never expressed to me, I would outline some of the items achieved by the same board during the period in question. It has:
managed the day-to-day affairs of the college, with all that entails;
successfully negotiated repossession of over one-third of the college which had been occupied by a Polish seminary since the end of the Second World War;
obtained some £600,000 from the private sector, the result of an appeal in 1987;
negotiated tax-free status for the fee income of the college, which will result in an enormous saving in the future.
arranged for the appointment of property managers in Paris to oversee the upkeep and rental of the college's properties there, which had been badly neglected.
obtained covenanting status for the Dublin company (Reg. no 120355) and obtained Ministerial agreement to omit "Limited" from its title.
In summary, the board has literally kept the college going since the mid-1980s.
A comment was made that I wrote to the Ambassador in February 2001 while officially retired from December 31st 2000. I did so as acting chairman at the unanimous wish of the directors. I received no reply to this letter.
I trust that the above factual account will assist in understanding the sense of frustration and offence which I and other board members have felt over recent events. Finally, the outgoing members extend their best wishes to the incoming members in the expectation and belief that they will serve the college to the standards and with the devotion exercised by the existing and former members. - Yours, etc.,
F.J. O'Reilly, Rathmore, Naas, Co Kildare.