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Thread:1/9 So, I’ve thought a lot about this before tweeting it as the M and B report is not about me but a section about my work. The Commission has a made a false statements about my work which formed the basis of a Sindo article. Here it goes:
2. I’ll address Sec 58 again - needless to say I don’t think the Fifth interim report addresses the issue satisfactorily. However, Sec 58 claims I did not report certain “caveats” in an unpublished Bessborough report I obtained. This is untrue. But first, these “caveats”
3. The author of the report does not state their analysis was based on a “cursory glance” at the records. Rather, the author states a cursory glance at the limited financial records revealed certain payments. A very different thing.
4. The author does not state that the analysis is “purely conjecture”. Rather, the author states that any examination trying to unpick the links between the State, a religious order and Bessborough without access to all and every record would remain purely conjecture.V different
5. So, now we have the context, let’s address the allegation I did not report these matters. I did. In the v first report on 2 June 2015, I specifically cited the “cursory glance” “caveat”.
6. I didn’t report the “conjecture” “caveat” in the first article as I didn’t feel it was required given the context. However, when the DCYA claimed the report was regarded by the author as “conjecture” I directly addressed this in follow up articles. Repeatedly. Ex: 22 jun 2015
7. In later articles, I was keen to nail this “conjecture” claim so placed it in the context it is cited in the report. Here’s an example from 6 August 2015 where I report it. At length. I also report it on 9 Nov 2015, 4 March 2017 and on RTÉs This Week programme in 2017
8. I address it again, at length and in context, on 19 February 2019 (see below) and again on 17 April 2019.
9. Journalists can be wrong. I have always reported in good faith, honestly and to the best of my ability. But I won’t accept my reputation being questioned by false claims that I didn’t report certain “caveats”. Particularly when those caveats have been taken out of context
