Ken O’Flynn

Both Michael Collins and Paddy Tobin signalled an instinctive and immediate openness to this.

Now, interestingly, Ken O'Flynn, the independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central, who was also on the plinth, seemed to be more cautious about it.

But I think it stands in interesting and sharp contrast to the kind of dilly-dallying and not even playing political footsie with each other that we see on the left.

You know, we had Richard Boyd Barrett last week complaining that he's sending emails about cooperation to other parties on the left and And being left on read, being blue ticked.

also, I think both Aintoo and Independent Ireland are kind of in these interesting periods of flux.

Like we've seen people who have actually left Aintoo because their personal politics was actually a little bit more right wing or a little bit more culture war than Aintoo actually is.

And we've seen flavours of that come up with Independent Ireland as well, where... people like Ken O'Flynn or some of their councillors have sometimes gone further into culture wars than Michael Collins is comfortable with.

These are quite mutable

He's just not going anywhere.

Make Ken O'Flynn the leader, you will get a party that I think will reach the mid-teens in public support.

Definitely give Padder Tobin something to worry about.

Not that I want that for Padder, because I agree with you about him.

ever at 20% and posing a threat.

You need somebody who the public, who can beat these people in an argument, who can take them on calmly, rationally, and defeat them.

I'm not saying that Ken O'Flynn is definitely that guy, but he's a whole lot closer to it than anybody else in independent Ireland.

And I say that, by the way, I know Ken.

And we'll come to you, Martin.

And also by independent Ireland TD, Ken O'Flynn.

I'll go to you first, Ken, because people were asking at the time, why close the whole school because of one or two incidents? You shouldn't have to do that.

Good morning to you.

thing.

I'm going to take a break.

Niamh and Martin, Ken O'Flynn is still there and has been listening to all of this because we need to get this fixed.

It's great that the ETB will come on board and say we'll patronise the school.

Yeah, I can identify with that feeling that it doesn't matter which party you turn to, they all appear to be saying the same thing, maybe with some notable exceptions.

I think Ainslie and some of the independents, Ken O'Flynn has been very good on this subject.

Senator Sharon Clogan and Ronan Mullen and so on.

But, you know, it does feel like an absolute herd mentality.

Has any politician come out against this vocally yet?

I did see, Ken O'Flynn has definitely put an inquiry into the HSE to find out.

He's written to

them.

he will train himself to a tree.

Ken O'Flynn is the same.

You know, they're all supporting us to say, yeah, this is wrong and Cork City Council should come up with another plan, another alternative and they should listen to the people.

So we just need action now.

You were so, so angry.

But, you know, politicians and Padraig O'Sullivan, Ken O'Flynn, Michael Collins and Wes Cork, they have been very, very supportive.

But, you know, was he deserving of the criticism? Was he deserving of the lambasting he got from the public?

I suppose we're all angry.