11 August 2025 By Elaine Murphy elaine@TheCork.ie Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins TD has reiterated his call for urgent supports to help childcare providers stay viable without passing crippling costs onto parents. His comments come as hundreds of families face monthly childcare fee hikes of up to €330, following the decision by one of the... Read More
4 August 2025 By Elaine Murphy elaine@TheCork.ie Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central Ken O’Flynn has sharply criticised the Government’s refusal to exempt gratuities from income tax, calling it “a tax on decency” and “an insult to the dignity of work.” Speaking in response to a recent Dáil statement by Minister for Public Expenditure... Read More
3 August 2025 By Tom Collins tom@TheCork.ie Politics/Economy Independent Ireland Chairperson and Cork North-Central TD, Ken O’Flynn, has launched a stinging critique of the Government’s failure to respond to what he calls “a slow-motion collapse” of Ireland’s small business sector. Since the current administration took office, more than 3,250 businesses across the country have shut... Read More
24 July 2025 By Mary Bermingham mary@TheCork.ie Independent Ireland TD for Cork South-West, Deputy Michael Collins, has called on the Minister for the Environment to urgently address the exclusion of island communities from Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme. The scheme imposes a charge of 15 cents or 25 cents (for a larger bottle). Most citizens can... Read More
Presidential candidate speculation “is a summer sideshow, distracting from real issues” says Cork TD
22 July 2025 By Mary Bermingham mary@TheCork.ie Presidential speculation is a summer sideshow, distracting from real issues – says Michael Collins, West Cork TD and Independent Ireland Leader Addressing media reports over the weekend, which he said were “reported with a healthy dose of journalistic licence with respect to the headlines used,” Deputy Collins also confirmed that Independent Ireland... Read More
22 July 2025 By Elaine Murphy elaine@TheCork.ie Politics “These are state agencies, not Sanctuary Cities.” says outspoken Cork TD Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn has said he will be investigating claims brought to his attention that persons subject to deportation orders are continuing to work in the Health Service Executive (HSE) in circumstances where the... Read More
“Passport and citizenship system wide open to weaponisation by those who wish us harm.” says Cork TD
25 June 2025 By Valerie Ryan valerie@TheCork.ie Politics Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn has said the state’s commitment to ensure that a robust policy on countering potential national security deficits is in place cannot be subjected to the whims of political correctness or any other political sensitivities that could expose the state and its citizens... Read More
14 May 2025 By Valerie Ryan valerie@TheCork.ie POLITICS: Independent Ireland demands urgent upgrades of Cork – Limerick Road Michael Collins TD, leader of Independent Ireland, and party General Secretary Richard O’Donoghue TD have today issued a stark warning to Government over what they describe as the “scandalous neglect” of the Cork to Limerick road and... Read More
11 May 2025 By Valerie Ryan valerie@TheCork.ie Michael Collins TD calls for return of local electoral enumerators to clean up voter register – “Let’s get this right, for our communities and for democracy” “We need boots on the ground to restore trust in our electoral process” Michael Collins TD, leader of Independent Ireland, has called... Read More
5 May 2025 By Elaine Murphy elaine@TheCork.ie Cork North Central TD Ken O’Flynn has today called on the Minister for Health to commission a comprehensive national report on obesity in Ireland and to urgently consider safer, more accessible models for prescribing weight-loss medications, in line with emerging international best practices. The Independent Ireland TD –... Read More