Madam, - Muredach Doherty (January 19th) takes issue with my criticisms of the family law system (January 15th). Like Dervla Sugrue (January 17th), he suggests that lawyers are reluctant players in the family law process, who find the work unrewarding and stressful.
If family law is so onerous and financially unrewarding for lawyers one wonders why they place advertisements in newspapers seeking clients. Few will believe that their intentions are totally altruistic.
Mr Doherty says he takes grave offence at my letter, which related to the legislation and structures that have been put in place to respond to marital breakdown. He describes me as a one-agenda person who fails to see the wider picture in my "efforts to seek the limelight".
Setting himself up as a self-appointed censor, he also says I do not have the right to "damn all lawyers working in the family law field" and that The Irish Times does not have "the right to print such rubbish prominently".
For almost 10 years I have been defending men and fathers and highlighting the many abuses they suffer both in their homes and in the courts. I will continue to do so and will not be told what I can or cannot say by Mr Doherty and I hope The Irish Times has the integrity to stand up to his arrogant posturing.
The puerile accusation about "seeking the limelight" is one that could just as easily be made against himself or, indeed, anyone else expressing their views in public. - Yours, etc,
MARY T CLEARY,
Amen,
St Anne's Resource Centre,
Railway Street,
Navan,
Co Meath.