Maria Doyle Kennedy Among 70 Women Who Call for Gate Inquiry To Be Replaced

Back in November, the Gate appointed Workplace Relations Commission adjudication officer Gaye Cunningham to review allegations made against Mr Colgan by former colleagues. She is set to report to the Gate board later in January.

Despite this, The Irish Times reports that they received a statement by a group who have expressed “grave concerns” about the inquiry because it was set up and funded by the theatre.

Some of their concerns are that the existing board were in position for the final years of Mr Colgan’s tenure as Director before he retired in March 2017, and had permitted him “to sit alongside them on the board” – even though it is not considered best practice that managers should serve on boards, it says.

The Irish Times reports that the inquiry was set up “against the express wishes” of the whistleblowers, who alleged Mr Colgan had bullied and humiliated them inside and outside of work and would frequently touch some of them inappropriately.

The statement was signed by 72 women – actors, writers, producers, directors, designers and stage managers – including Lynne Parker, Cathy Belton, Grace Dyas, Kate O’Toole, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Alison Spittle.

Mr Colgan wrote an article for the Sunday Independent last November in which he said he was “deeply distressed” he had caused upset, but defended himself, saying that his “misjudged behaviour” should not “be equated with sexual crimes”. Hot Press conducted a revealing interview with Colgan following his retirement back in March, before the allegations of bullying and harassment were made public. You can read it .here.

The current Gate Theatre board is chaired by Peter Crowley, appointed in 2015. The other members are: David Bunworth, appointed in 2004; Jim Clery, appointed in 2014; Anne-Marie Curran, appointed 2017; James Morris, appointed in 2015 and Grace Smith, appointed in 2013.