The Mayor of Cork County has moved to make clear feedback he made at a public assembly about Worldwide Safety Candidates in Fermoy, saying he didn’t help plans by anti-immigration activist Derek Blighe to bodily block asylum seekers coming to the city.
Lengthy serving Fianna Fáil Cllr Frank O’Flynn, who was elected Mayor of Cork County in June, was certainly one of 5 native councillors to attend the assembly known as by locals final Wednesday to focus on considerations about plans to deal with 56 Worldwide Safety Candidates at a property at St James’s Place within the city.
On the assembly which came about on the road and was attended by about 25 individuals, Cllr O’Flynn mentioned that he had no downside with Ukrainians or asylum seekers households coming to Fermoy, however he did have considerations about single male asylum seekers being accommodated in such centres.
“I stand 4 sq. with the individuals of Fermoy and the individuals of the world on what’s occurring right here,” mentioned Cllr O’Flynn as he urged individuals to electronic mail the Minister for Youngsters, Equality, Incapacity, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman to focus on their considerations in regards to the proposal.
“If it’s not ok for the individuals, it’s not ok for Frank O’Flynn. We aren’t going to face for this and the one factor that’s going to succeed is individuals energy, the extra people who come out and let the minister know we’re not going to face for this in our stunning city (the higher).”
Cllr O’Flynn had simply completed his speech when he was addressed by anti-immigration activist and founding father of Eire First, Derek Blighe, who challenged Cllr O’Flynn to say whether or not he could be prepared to affix in a blockade outdoors the constructing to cease asylum seekers getting into the premises.
“Can I simply say one factor there, Frank … would you help a blockade of the gate, blockades have labored throughout the nation – they’ve labored in Donegal, they’ve labored up Wicklow – in case you blockade the gate, they will’t are available in, would you help a blockade?” requested Mr Blighe.
“No downside,” mentioned Cllr O’Flynn twice in response in a video of the assembly which has been posted by Mr Blighe on his Fb web page and which appeared to counsel that Cllr O’Flynn was endorsing the proposal to mount a blockade to cease asylum seekers being moved into the property.
Cllr O’Flynn was challenged on the difficulty by former Labour senator and Cork County Councillor John Gilroy, who mentioned he had no points with councillors attending such a rally and expressing no matter views they want however Cllr O’Flynn, as Mayor of Cork County, needs to be extra cautious in his feedback.
“I do know different councillors attended that assembly and spoke, as is their proper, 100 per cent, however I feel as Mayor of Cork County, which is a largely symbolic function, Cllr O’Flynn is representing the individuals of Cork. and he ought to keep in mind that and be accountable and cautious what he says in that function.
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“I need him to make clear if he’s representing Cork County Council coverage when he says he’s prepared to help a blockade as a result of I do know the nice work that each Cork County Council and Cork Metropolis Council are doing with the Ukrainian group, so his feedback must be clarified in that regard.
“He’s, as Mayor, the general public face of Cork County Council and I feel it will ship out the fully flawed message if we have been to see the Mayor of Cork County standing on a picket line blockading refugees, fleeing warfare and persecution, to cease them accessing lodging supplied by the state.”
Mr Gilroy, who’s now not concerned in politics or a member of the Labour Get together, mentioned he accepted that Cllr O’Flynn was not sporting the Mayoral chain on the night time, however everybody knew he was the mayor, and he couldn’t say he was attending the assembly simply as a councillor and never as mayor.
“It’s the duty of politicians as group leaders to guide and act positively and to not be stirring up nonsense like this and whipping up a frenzy which shall be exploited by the far proper as a result of they are going to be claiming now on social media that the Mayor of County Cork is backing them,” he mentioned.
Contacted by The Irish Occasions, Cllr O’Flynn mentioned he was joyful to make clear the matter and mentioned he didn’t help a blockade of the premises at St James’s Place and had attended the assembly to listen to the views of native individuals involved in regards to the numbers of asylum seekers being despatched to Fermoy.
“I’m not supporting any blockade, there’s a petition supporting blockade – I didn’t signal it nor will I be attending the blockade there … I welcome all individuals to Eire and am all for inclusivity – I attended the assembly to seek out out extra after I used to be contacted by involved native individuals, that’s all.”
Final December, Mr Blighe organised protests over the housing of 60 asylum seekers at St Joseph’s Convent in Fermoy however the protests prompted an enormous counter rally attended by over 300 individuals who mentioned they have been horrified by the anti-refugee protests and mentioned Fermoy was a welcoming city.