Sir, - We refer to a letter by John Tierney of the Irish Council Against Bloodsports (June 29th), in which he attempts to establish a link between legal hunting and child and sexual abuse. This repeats similar allegations from Philip Kiernan of ICABS which you published in 1998 and which were exposed in a reply by Mr Desmond Crofton of NARGC and FACE Ireland. Mr Crofton provided definitive comment on the ICABS claims from the scientist who conducted the very research on which Mr Kiernan relied. The scientist disowned the manner in which his research was being abused by ICABS. It is therefore, inexplicable that these quite remarkable claims, which impugn every one of the 300,000 people in this country who are involved in fieldsports, are repeated in your paper.
A reference is made to psychological research sponsored by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. We have a long statement in response to Philip Kiernan's diatribe on this subject and I quote from Mr David Waddington of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
"Dr Kellert has stated that his study does not link hunting with deviant behaviour . . .I can say with certainty that the US Fish and Wildlife Service has not sponsored any studies which have linked anti-social behaviour with hunting."
Dr Kellert of Yale gave us a statement which said: "The claims [by ICABS] are not based on any results we found and represent a complete distortion of our studies and findings". - Yours, etc.,
Turlough J. Coffey, PRO, National Association of Regional Game Councils, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.