4 May 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Business News
Independent Cork City Councillor Ken O’ Flynn says that Cork urgently needs a Taskforce that can lead a fully charged initiative to reignite the local economy, support businesses and protect jobs. Cllr O’Flynn said
Cllr Ken O’Flynn
“In speaking with business people in our city and county over recent weeks it is clear that they see a distinct lack of leadership from our local authorities and business organisations in the fact that they have not brought about even the idea of a Taskforce that would lead the reigniting of our local economy. I am now calling on the Chief Executive of Cork City Council Ann Doherty and the Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey to immediately lead a combined call for this and to seek the appointment of a strong team to work together in the interests of all of Cork, our businesses and the employees that will so need their jobs.
Cllr O’Flynn continued
These are unprecedented times and we need leadership to take us to where we will need to get to in the weeks and months ahead. I am disappointed that there seems to be no joined up thinking between the local authorities and the local business organisations. Now more than ever we need them working together. I have spoken to business people like Alf Smiddy, Benny McCabe, Pam O’ Regan, John Minihan, Michael Mulcahy and others and they all want to see a Cork Taskforce put in place immediately and they see value in it. We did it when Ford and Dunlop closed and we need to do it now. There needs to be representatives from all sectors of city and county businesses on this and their voices need to be heard. They are at the coalface of this and know the mood of business owners and know what is needed. We in local government and national government need to listen to these people once and for all. In addition our city centre and environs are decimated with Debenhams, Oasis, Warehouse, Laura Ashley and others closed since this pandemic started. We need action and leadership from Ann and Tim, we need it now and they need to step up to the plate and get Cork moving and the business people will certainly back them if they just do it.”
