'A very constructive discussion': O’Connor meets Tánaiste following Jekyll and Hyde jibe 

A Cork TD accused by Tánaiste Micheál Martin of being a “Jekyll and Hyde” character has described as “productive” a meeting they had on Thursday.

Cork East TD James O’Connor had sought a meeting with Mr Martin following heated exchanges between the two men at last week’s Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting.

Mr O’Connor earlier this week confirmed to The Echo the reports that, following criticisms by Mr O’Connor that Mr Martin had failed to follow through on promises made to him during a visit to Youghal earlier this year, the Tánaiste had likened him to a “Jekyll and Hyde” whose mood changes from day to day.

The two men had a meeting in Government Buildings on Thursday evening and Mr O’Connor, the Dáil’s youngest TD, said it ran for an hour and a half.

“We had a very constructive discussion during that time. I outlined to him the projects that were causing my frustration and I’m happy to say that the air has been cleared,” Mr O’Connor said.

“I’ve left the Tánaiste in absolutely no doubt that I am in the Dáil to work on delivering projects, and he has given me very strong commitments that he will go and work on the items that came from our meeting in Youghal that day, and see what is feasible to be advanced as quickly as can be done.”

Mr O’Connor said Mr Martin had recognised Youghal’s “enormous contribution” as a host town for Ukrainian refugees and that the supports needed in the town, specifically for schools, are more acute than in some other places.

“I’m very confident that we will have further progress in the coming weeks, particularly on education and the appointment of a design consultant for the planned bypass for Castlemartyr and Killeagh,” said Mr O’Connor.

“I am hopeful that in the budget we will see further supports rolled out, similar to Deis, and provisions will also potentially increase for home-schooling supports, and we spoke about what could be further done to advance the family resource centre in Youghal — that was very promising,” he said.

“What is also being looked at is the roll-out of further school meals, and I would like to see that being done at post-primary level.”

He said he was quite hopeful from his discussion with the Tánaiste that the appointment of a design consultant for the Castlemartyr and Killeagh bypass would come “quite soon”.

Mr O’Connor said his row with Mr Martin had not been a nice experience, but he was happy to say it was behind them and their meeting had been “very cordial and constructive”.

“I am grateful that we had this meeting, and grateful that there will be positive outcomes from it,” he said. Asked if the Tánaiste had apologised for the “Jekyll and Hyde” comment, Mr O’Connor said both men had agreed to “let it be”.

“Both of us made a very conciliatory move to close it down, and we shook hands, and I think now there is a full understanding of where I am coming from, which was more than what you could have asked for in a lot of ways,” he said.

“I think coming out of the meeting the needs of Youghal were very much recognised in a way that would give me a lot of hope in the next few weeks.”