Synon column absent as she takes holiday break

The Sunday Independent has accounted for the absence of Mary Ellen Synon's column from yesterday's edition by saying she is on holiday.

Miss Synon has not written for the paper since her controversial article on athletes with disabilities a fortnight ago, apart from a brief apology which appeared on the front page of last week's edition.

According to a senior Sunday Independent source yesterday, Ms Synon's holiday was scheduled before the current controversy. The source was unable to say how long her holiday would last.

However, this was contradicted by another senior management source, who said Miss Synon had agreed to take a break after the controversy blew up. She was expected to return to work in two weeks, said this source.

Miss Synon works as a freelance, but has a contract to write a weekly column for the newspaper.

The editor of the Sunday Independent, Mr Aengus Fanning, could not be contacted.

Speaking from her home in north Cork, Miss Synon confirmed she was on holiday.

Asked if the holiday was arranged after the controversy arose, she said that was a matter she did not wish to discuss publicly.

Advertising levels in yesterday's Sunday Independent were "normal", according to both sources at the newspaper, in spite of calls from various sources for an advertising boycott in protest at Miss Synon's writings.

This week health board chief executives are to discuss calls to suspend advertising with the newspaper for six months. Almost 180 voluntary organisations have also been circularised with a call for a year-long boycott of advertising in the newspaper.

In her apology, Miss Synon said it was never her intention to "hurt or demean anyone, certainly not any disabled person". She admitted her remarks came out as "more than callous".

Miss Synon said she had intended to write a longer article, "but I recognise that, with the hurt and distress, it is time only to say sorry. And I am. Very sorry".