Sir, Some commentators have suggested in the media that the inclusion of women in the delegation from the Catholic Bishops' Conference to the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation was a public relations exercise, a cosmetic smudge. As the two episcopal members of the delegation, we feel it incumbent on us to state that such suggestions are a travesty of the facts and we consider them an insult to the women concerned.
The four women were chosen - as were the lay men on the delegation - strictly on grounds of their qualifications, experience and competence to speak on the particular issues which they addressed at the Forum. Ms Nuala Kelly is Secretary of the Bishops' Commission for Prisoners Overseas; Mrs Maura Kiely is founder of The Cross Group, which provides social support for people of both communities bereaved by the Troubles; Ms Mary, Lyons is chief executive of a training centre for the unemployed in West Belfast, and Sister Eileen Randles is a distinguished educationalist. - Yours, etc.,
Archbishop of Armagh,
Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Ara Coeili,
Armagh.