8 February 2026 By Elaine Murphy elaine@TheCork.ie The State is funding GLP-1 weight-loss medicines for prisoners while ordinary patients are denied access under the Drugs Payment Scheme – says Cork TD Figures released under Freedom of Information show that more than €57,000 has been spent on Ozempic for prisoners since 2022, with total spending on... Read More
24 January 2026 By Elaine Murphy elaine@TheCork.ie Education/Politics Leader of Independent Ireland and Cork South-West TD Michael Collins has echoed growing calls for a fundamental change to the school meals programme, urging the Government to prioritise locally sourced, high-quality food for schoolchildren while supporting Irish farmers and food producers. Collins statement follows Darena Allen’s Appearance... Read More
12 January 2026 By Mary Bermingham mary@TheCork.ie Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn has responded to reports of proposed restrictions to the State’s refugee family reunification policy, warning that while the move signals progress, it falls short of the urgency and scale needed to address what he describes as Ireland’s “deepening immigration crisis”. According to The... Read More
1 November 2025 By Tom Collins tom@TheCork.ie Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn has accused government of directing almost half a million euros of taxpayer’s money to advertising companies as part of a “desperate attempt to appear pro-active in addressing the recruitment crisis affecting the construction sector.” The Cork North-Central TD was responding to confirmation from... Read More
1 November 2025 By Bryan McCarthy bryan@TheCork.ie Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central, Ken O’Flynn, has accused the Government of presiding over what he described as “a national housing emergency”, following the release of official figures showing a record 16,614 people in emergency accommodation, including 5,238 children and 2,443 families. “This is a national emergency,”... Read More
26 October 2025 By Valerie Ryan valerie@TheCork.ie Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins TD has called on the Government to support his party’s Bill for constitutional change in the presidential nomination process, saying it is “time to move beyond words and deliver real reform for Irish democracy.” His comments follow remarks by Tánaiste Simon Harris, who... Read More
21 October 2025 By Tom Collins tom@TheCork.ie Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn has said he has written to the Minister for Health Jennifer Carrol MacNeil asking her to allocate funds for the widespread community rollout of Bleeding Control Kits, known as KnifeSavers in some UK cities, following reports that Dublin’s Mater Hospital recorded a 68%... Read More
21 August 2025 By Elaine Murphy elaine@TheCork.ie Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central, Ken O’Flynn, has said the Government is “out of touch with reality” as families continue to struggle with rising food costs despite a drop in headline inflation. “Government ministers congratulate themselves on falling inflation figures, but families know the reality at the supermarket checkout,” Deputy O’Flynn said. “Headline CPI may be down... Read More