Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn has insisted his party played no role in his withdrawal from an event hosted by a conservative group.
O’Flynn had been scheduled to take part in a Breaking Point event in Cork, debating where the fuel protests go next. He was originally billed alongside fuel protesters James Geoghegan and John Dallon, as well as Dublin city councillor Gavin Pepper, who has been described in the Dáil as a “far-right activist”.
The event has now been rescheduled, with both O’Flynn and Pepper removed from the line-up and replaced by protester Christopher Duffy and conservative John McGuirk.
In advance of the event, Independent Ireland TDs Michael Fitzmaurice and Michael Collins had distanced the party from Breaking Point.
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O’Flynn said on Thursday that he has “shared platforms with people across the political spectrum whose views I do not share”.
“That is part of democratic life. Engagement does not equal endorsement, but it does ensure open dialogue. In relation to the Cork event, my non-attendance was a matter of scheduling, not party direction. I do not believe public representatives should limit engagement only to those they agree with,” he said.
The event was originally planned to be held on Sunday, April 26th, at the Metropole Hotel in Cork. It was then announced that the venue would change due to “unforeseen circumstances”, and attendees would be emailed details of the new venue one day before the event.
Finally, the event was postponed with organisers blaming an “increase in interest”. The event is now scheduled to take place at the Charleville Park Hotel this weekend.
Breaking Point describes itself as a “forum for new ideas”. It is not a political party or a campaign group, but hosts events that platform anti-immigration and conservative speakers.
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A spokesman for Independent Ireland said it does not control which meetings its TDs attend: “they’re grown men and women”. In a statement, it said: “Independent Ireland has no affiliation with Breaking Point or the organisation of its events.
“Our TDs and councillors attend a wide range of meetings and community engagements throughout the year. We would estimate that there are hundreds of meetings and community events attended each year by our elected reps. As a party, we do not seek to direct or prescribe which events individual elected representatives choose to attend.
“Based on our current understanding, no elected representatives are scheduled to attend the event referenced in Cork.”
