We will not email our experiences in their written form to The Gate using their confidential email address.

We are Annette Clancy, Grace Dyas, Ali White, Ella Clarke, Ruth Gordon, Ciara Elizabeth Smyth and Aisling Kennedy

In the past week we have all shared accounts of our experiences of abuse of power by Michael Colgan, former Director of The Gate Theatre publicly.

This is our response to The Gate Theatre’s statement.

We welcome this attempt by the Gate to communicate with potential victims of abuse of power, but we question the independence of any process that is funded and administered directly by the Gate.

Michael Colgan sat on the board of The Gate for many years. This undermines our confidence in the impartiality of the current Board.

We will not email our experiences in their written form to The Gate using their confidential email address.

We welcome the Taoiseach’s encouraging comments on 2 November 2017. Quoted in the Irish Times he said: - :

“…I think it would be right and appropriate for people who have been sexually harassed to come forward. That requires a degree of bravery of course but also it empowers other people to do the same, maybe people who were afraid to do so in the past, when they see others coming forward well then they’ll be encouraged to do so as well.

We do always though need to counterbalance that with understanding that an allegation is an allegation and people have the right to due process and the right to have their good name protected.”

We remind An Taoiseach, his Ministers and those in positions of power that due process also ought to protect Irish women’s human and constitutional rights to bodily integrity and liberty, that equality is protected by law and we call on them to take meaningful action to restore trust in these processes.

To anyone who has experience of abuse of power, or for whom this is ongoing, in the words of the late Christine Buckley, “We believe you before you open your mouth”

Signed Annette Clancy, Grace Dyas, Ali White, Ella Clarke, Ruth Gordon, Ciara Elizabeth Smyth and Aisling Kennedy