Cairns slams Fine Gael councillor's Bandon comment

SOCIAL Democrats leader Holly Cairns (right) has described as ‘pathetic’ a comment by a local councillor that the closure of her office in Bandon has undermined the work being done by local business groups because, he claims, it implied an issue with safety in the town.

This week the Cork South West deputy confirmed that her office in Bandon was closed as a result of garda advice that she discontinue holding clinics for the public.

Ms Cairns told The Southern Star a year ago that she had contacted gardaí after a stalker turned up at her home near Skibbereen. Gardaí advised her at the time not to hold constituency clinics unless she is accompanied by a family member or a friend.

This week signage at her Howard’s Court, Bandon office, which had been in use up to last summer, was dismantled.

‘Following a security review last summer, in consultation with my team, a decision was made to close the office,’ she told The Southern Star this week.

‘Scheduled meetings are arranged by getting in touch with my office,’ she added.

This week local FG Cllr John O’Sullivan asked the deputy to clarify whether or not she felt Bandon was a ‘safe place’ to do business.

Cllr John O’Sullivan said he wanted Deputy Cairns to further clarify if there was any specific threat to her in Bandon, and said her statements ‘undermined’ the work being done in Bandon by the BBA and Cork County Council.

In response the Skibbereen TD said: ‘Any suggestion that this has anything to do with Bandon – rather than issues faced by women in politics in every part of the country – is nonsense, it’s political point scoring, and it’s pathetic.’

Meanwhile, Evie Nevin, the Clonakilty-based Labour candidate for West Cork, has condemned the circumstances that resulted in the closure of the TD’s office. ‘It is appalling that any public representative would have to close their premises for safety reasons.

‘Women in politics deserve respect and support, not abuse and threats,’ said Evie, a disability activist and former party colleague of Deputy Cairns.