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Eamonn Farrell via RollingNews.ie

Colgan says he failed to see and 'should have respected differences between friends and employees'

Michael Colgan said “the seed of the problem lay in the obscuring of lines between my work and my life”.

MICHAEL COLGAN SAYS his behaviour should not be equated with sexual crimes.

Over the past few weeks, a number of women have come forward with allegations of inappropriate behaviour and abuse of power by the former director of the Gate Theatre.

Today he broke his silence on those allegations in an article in the Sunday Independent.

Colgan said “the seed of the problem lay in the obscuring of lines between my work and my life” and that he failed to respect the difference between friends and employees.

“I already knew that I was not politically correct, that I often sacrificed proper conduct for a punchline, and that, at times, could be too exacting as a boss.

But realising that I have been responsible for causing distress to some of those with whom I worked so closely with has shocked me, I am truly sorry.

Colgan added that when he left the Gate Theatre in March he believed he was liked by all the staff and the realisation that this was not always the case “has been deeply distressing”.

“I sincerely apologise to anyone who was ever made to feel upset.”

However, Colgan said his behaviour “should not be equated to sexual crimes” and that he takes “serious issue with much of the recent press and social media references to me”.

“We are living in a climate where ti be accused is now enough to be deemed guilty.”

Independent review

The Gate Theatre has appointed an independent expert to look at allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” and “abuse of power” by the former director.

Gaye Cunningham, an adjudication officer with the Workplace Relations Commission, will conduct an independent review of the allegations made against Colgan. She is due to report back to the Board of the Gate in January.

Anyone wishing to come forward with concerns can contact her directly at cunninghamconfidential@outlook.ie.

However, a number of women who made allegations about Colgan have questioned the independence of an investigation that is funded and administered by the Gate.

Grace Dyas was the first person to speak out against Colgan. In an interview yesterday she said, “If the same situation (as mine) occurred again, they have nowhere to go to highlight the problem because the same board is still in place that was there during Michael’s tenure.”

Read: ’Misuse of power is an open secret in Ireland like the past secrets about the Catholic Church’>

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Feb 3rd 2015, 1:05 PM

    I am looking forward to owning a self-driving car. It will be a black Trans-Am named Kit.

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    Feb 3rd 2015, 3:42 PM

    Mines going to be called Herby

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    Feb 3rd 2015, 4:55 PM

    Sod K.I.T.T. I want K.A.R.R it had it voice display stolen

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    Mute Frank
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    Feb 3rd 2015, 12:03 PM

    Google will no doubt will know every thing about you before you board one of their cabs with an electronic payment.

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    Feb 3rd 2015, 12:46 PM

    Another shameless cross promotion from the Journal….groannnnn !

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    Mute Frank
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    Feb 3rd 2015, 5:16 PM

    Google are currently experimenting with driver less cars.

    They will probably have them equipped with automated lethal gas dispensers so that they could poison anyone that they know that resisting the “New World Order”…

    You won’t ever see me dead in one of these (Pun)

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    Mute Frank
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    Feb 3rd 2015, 5:38 PM

    The above is far fetched tin foil hat talk..

    They will just simply lock the doors on the automated car and wait for heavily armed swat teams to arrive.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Feb 4th 2015, 6:08 AM

    As somebody who will never be able to drive, I consider the prospect of self-driving cars extremely liberating. Sorry if I’m being unfashionably positive.

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