15 January 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
File photo of Cork City Cllr Kenneth O’Flynn
Cork City Cllr Kenneth O’Flynn has announced that he is to stand as an independent candidate in the forthcoming General Election (8 February 2020) for Cork North Central.
“It has always been my intention to seek to represent the people of Cork North Central in Dail Eireann. The Fianna Fail party leadership has not selected me to run as a candidate. I am of course disappointed having served the party for the last 25 years and as a Councillor for the last 12 years, but it is not about the party, it is about the people of Cork North Central. The people I serve locally have asked me to represent them, so with their support I will be their Independent voice in Dail Eireann. Cork’s Northside needs a full time committed public representative in Dail Eireann. I will be that representative for all the people in our constituency”.
Cllr O’ Flynn continued “My Father Noel O’Flynn served the people of Cork North Central as a T.D for 14 years in Dail Eireann and has huge experience in what our area now needs and he will be coming out of retirement to assist me in my full-time constituency office and we will both serve the people of Cork North Central if I am elected to Dail Eireann. I see so many issues that need national attention. I know and work with these issues every day as a full-time Councillor. Housing, Homelessness, Health, Climate Change, Infrastructure imbalance between the North and Southside of the City such as the North Ring Road, Dunkettle Interchange and the Cork Limerick Motorway. If I am elected to Dail Eireann with the support of the people I will have those issues as a condition of my support to any party who will form the next government. Cork Comes First with me, I have the passion, the drive and the experience to get the job done. I am asking the voters of all political persuasions to “Lend Me Your Vote at the Election”. I will ensure you get the representation you deserve”.
Fianna Fail completes General Election ticket in Cork North Central without Cllr O’Flynn
Fianna Fail did not select Cllr O’Flynn to run. Instead, the party selected sitting TD Padraig O’Sullivan, Cork City Cllr. Tony Fitzgerald and Sandra Murphy.
Cllr. Fitzgerald has served as a Cork City Councillor since 2004 and was Lord Mayor in 2017/18.
Sandra Murphy is an Event Creation & Production Manager, with extensive experience in the hospitality industry. A party statement indicates she would focus on Health and Policing.
In a statement from Fianna Fail Sandra Murphy is quoted as saying “The crisis in our health service – and particularly at Cork University Hospital – is the lasting legacy of this Fine Gael government. I believe my party can change that. Access to care, through improved community care and GP services, needs to be prioritised and I, along with my Fianna Fáil colleagues have the will and determination to make it happen”, meanwhile in relation to Policing Sandra Murphy said “I will also be pushing for greater Garda provision for Bishopstown. Despite the large population base, the Garda station is only operating on a part time basis. This is not good enough and I will be making this issue one of my key priorities”.
