A clean conscience despite sins of omission

The ESRI’s withdrawal of a report this week has seen a similar scenario of critics lining up. But with Frances Ruane as director, the institute has a better reputation than many others in Ireland, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

Mention Richard Tol to any senior member of the Economic and Social Research Institute these days and you are likely to provoke a sharp intake of breath.

Tol departed the institute with all guns blazing six months ago. At the time, the Dutch-born academic accused his long-time employer of being xenophobic and of being insufficiently insulated from Government interference.