Eircom Shares Controversy

Sir, - Your edition of September 14th quoted an unidentified and somewhat disgruntled shareholder referring to the Eircom board…

Sir, - Your edition of September 14th quoted an unidentified and somewhat disgruntled shareholder referring to the Eircom board of directors as "tired old masons". Well, tired and old they may be - and I do not necessarily disagree with him on that point - but masons they are not.

But I am a "tired old mason"; and unfortunately, unlike some of the directors such as the former Tanaiste, Dick Spring, one with a holding of Eircom shares purchased at the full issue price. If, therefore, the public perception of the directors is correct, why have I not been offered a seat on the board, where I am sure my new colleagues would allow me the very reasonable concession of increasing my holding, pro rata, by allotting me shares to take into account the option price to be made available to senior personnel? After all, fair's fair. - Yours, etc.,

Michael W. Walker, Grand Secretary, Freemasons' Hall, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2.