Women’s council calls for Colgan to be independently investigated
THE National Women’s Council of Ireland has called for an independent investigation into the allegations of bullying and sexual harassment against former Gate Theatre artistic director Michael Colgan.
The NWCI want the theatre to commission an independent inquiry into Mr Colgan’s ‘conduct with staff’ and behaviour while he was chief executive, which ‘should extend to people and organisations he dealt with in this capacity’.
However, Leo Varadkar has questioned whether an independent investigation is necessary, despite the women who have made the allegations insisting they won’t engage with an internal inquiry. The Taoiseach said: ‘I think it’s important to say that the Gate Theatre is not a public body.
Lots of businesses get Government contracts, but it is a private body.
‘It has its own board and it has its own trustees. So it’s a matter for the company to put in place its own procedures to investigate these allegations properly.
‘I heard the chief executive of the Arts Council on the radio saying she was satisfied, at least at this point in time, at the process that has been in place.’
Mr Colgan was part of Gate Theatre for 33 years.
Despite attempts by the Irish Daily Mail to contact him yesterday, he was not available for comment.