Madam, - Your welcome Editorial of May 18th highlighting the important role of the Council of Europe has resulted in overdue acknowledgement of the important role of this parliamentary human rights watchdog. Ireland as a founder member continues to play an active part in the proceedings of the assembly and its committees of which I was privileged to be a member from 2003 to 2005.
The higher profile of the European Parliament and the fact that it also meets in Strasbourg, although in a different building, overshadows the work of the parliamentary assembly and inevitably creates confusion in the public mind about its activities.
During my period there, I was appointed general rapporteur on the media and produced three parliamentary reports - on public service broadcasting, the media power enjoyed by Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi (which is still the subject of an investigation by the Venice Committee, the assembly's legal watchdog), and women's participation in politics.
Sadly, none of these reports was ever discussed in the Irish media, which finally acknowledged my presence as a member of the Irish delegation last October when the annual report on the legitimate expenses accrued as a result of my work for the assembly became a "news item".
Your coverage of the recent Warsaw Summit and the subsequent editorial which addressed the serious challenges facing Europe in the field of human rights were therefore most welcome. Other media please note. - Yours, etc,
Senator PASCHAL MOONEY, Leinster House, Dublin 2.