General Election 2024: Cork East promises some new faces for the Dáil

Two long-standing TDs in the area have opted to not contest the election this time around, leaving a minimum of two seats up for grabs for fresh candidates, as Labour Party’s Seán Sherlock and Fine Gael’s David Stanton announced they were stepping back from the political race between this year and last.

This being said, there will be a total of 18 candidates on the ballot paper, all of which The Echo has asked what they think the biggest problems facing Cork East are.

SINN FÉIN

Following a poll-topping performance in 2020, Sinn Féin’s Pat Buckley, who was first elected as a TD in 2011, and served as the party’s spokesperson on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention until 2016, is attempting to secure his third term as a TD for Cork East in this year’s general election.

Speaking to The Echo, Mr Buckley said the main problem areas highlighted to him on the doors in Cork East are housing, access to childcare, lack of transportation and access to disability services.

“It varies from area to area, but one thing that does not vary, is housing; housing is number one” said Mr Buckley.

“We need to start from the bottom up, and what I’d like to see happen is for the people to put a Sinn Féin government in power [because] we would be ready [to deliver].

“People need homes, we need to make them affordable, [and] as a party, housing is the priority.

“So we’re talking about making housing affordable, we can [also] bring childcare down to €10 a day per child, we can take every worker in the country out of the USC up to their first €45,000, and we would look at abolishing the carers’ means test, and these are all instant things that we can do to make things a little bit better.

“We’re human beings as well, I don’t want to be sitting here in the next five years saying ‘we got it wrong’, everything has to be balanced and fair.

“There’s things that can be done in the morning, [and] I know it can be done, so let’s get the quick wins, just give us one chance.”

FIANNA FÁIL

Hoping to retain his seat for the first time, Fianna Fáil’s James O’Connor will also be contesting the election in Cork East, and is the youngest candidate running in the area at just 27.

Mr O’Connor was first elected to Cork County Council in the 2019 local elections, and went on to become one of the youngest ever TDs elected to Dáil Éireann in 2020.

Speaking about his experience canvassing, Mr O’Connor said that the main issues raised to him by members of the public have been traffic congestion, assessments for children with disabilities, flood defence initiatives and issues with drinking water.

“The big difference between the last election and this one is that the last time around, unquestionably, there was one big issue, and that was school places [but] now, that’s changed.

“This time around, a pile of people I’m meeting have raised the difficulty of [getting] assessments for schools, for education supports, like access to OT, and speech and language therapies, and that’s a huge issue.

“Additionally, traffic congestion is also a major problem, flood defence is a huge issue too, it’s very high on the list of priorities, [and] there are drinking water problems consistently for the last number of years in the Whitegate area, affecting about 8,000 residents in the constituency.

“Ultimately they’re the real things cropping up in East Cork, and on a national scale, the cost of living, it’s a huge problem, people are really feeling the pinch there.”

Ahead of polling next week, Mr O’Connor further discussed how he felt that on the ground there has been a “huge drift” in support for Sinn Féin, and further warned that voters should be “cautious” of independent candidates.

“People recognise that Micheál Martin was a good Taoiseach, and I think that Cork wants to see a Taoiseach back again, which may happen around Christmas time,” said Mr O’Connor.

“We’re hoping to get a second seat at Cork East, and it could tip the balance of not needing another coalition partner, which would be brilliant.

“Effectively, with each independent seat that’s secured in Cork, it’s another number that won’t help towards forming a new Government, and we need to avoid a situation where we are going back into Government with the Greens,” he added.

FINE GAEL

Contesting the election for the first time, Mark Stanton, who is the son of outgoing Fine Gael TD, David Stanton, is also hoping to secure a seat in the Cork East constituency.

During his time at UCC, Mr Stanton served as President of the Students’ Union, where he represented 20,000 students on a range of issues, and for the past eight years, he has worked in the recruitment sector in Ireland and the UK.

When asked to describe his experience canvassing for this year’s election, Mr Stanton said that the people of East Cork raised several issues with him, including road and water infrastructure, transport and traffic congestion, housing, cost of living, access to disability services, flood defences, and investment into the public realm.

“While there are a lot of houses being built, people would like to see more social and affordable housing,” said Mr Stanton.

“People want to see more done in Youghal, and in Killeagh and Castlemartyr as well in terms of vacant and derelict properties.

“There are plans in the Fine Gael manifesto for how to combat those, but the main thing is about promoting the schemes that are there and boosting those.” Mr Stanton further touched on the issue of water infrastructure, saying that planned improvements for problem areas are “coming on stream,” while also raising the potential of the East Cork area for improved transportation links.

“I think we need to see a bypass for Killeagh and Castlemartyr, and potentially something along the Midleton to Youghal Greenway — we’re talking about an idea for a rapid bus transit service running adjacent to the Greenway, instead of the rail going in there — and I have an idea for a passenger ferry in Cork Harbour [as well].” He also mentioned the issue of flood defence following Storm Babet, saying that “people really want to see a full flood protection scheme delivered as quickly as possible.”

“If I’m elected I‘m hoping to do as much as I can to try and accelerate that on,” he said.

Mr Stanton went on to discuss the cost of living crisis, saying that it is an issue consistently raised with him on the doors in Cork East.

“People are struggling, so I think there were some decent measures in the Budget this year, and people should start to see more money in their pockets from next year; but more needs to be done there [too],” Mr Stanton added.

OTHER PARTIES AND INDEPENDENTS

While there are no Labour Party candidates running in the Cork East constituency following the departure of Seán Sherlock, People Before Profit-Solidarity candidate, Asch Ní Fhinn, is confident public perception of her party’s campaign will prove successful for them in the area.

“There is growing frustration with the status quo, particularly regarding housing, healthcare, and cost-of-living issues — many feel disillusioned with the larger parties and are more open to progressive alternatives,” she said.

“We are witnessing a palpable shift, especially among younger voters, towards more radical, solution-focused policies.”

Ms Ní Fhinn stated that the main issues raised to her have been housing and development, infrastructure and transport, and education and community resources.

“Towns like Cobh and Midleton are struggling with housing shortages and [while] vacant properties in Mitchelstown are also being addressed, with several being repurposed, progress is slow,” she said.

“People Before Profit supports increasing social and affordable housing through direct state investment, capping rents, and repurposing vacant properties efficiently.

“Our solutions [would also] prioritise public transport expansion, push for guaranteed access to school transport and increased funding for sports and cultural facilities.”

Additionally, independent candidate Mary Linehan Foley said that a lack of housing, the squeezed middle, and the N25 bypass project are among the many issues raised with her whilst canvassing.

“It is criminal that 15,000 people in this day and age are homeless,” said Ms Linehan Foley.

“One of the most pressing issues on the doorstep is the lack of available and affordable housing — [and] this crisis is a direct consequence of government policy.

“For so many young families, life has not panned out how they thought it would; the constant grind of financial insecurity takes its toll,” she added.

“This is something that simply must be better addressed by the next Government, and will be a key issue in any future representations that I make in Dáil Éireann, alongside other independent voices.”

Further, Green Party candidate, Cliona O’Halloran said that a pressing issue in the Cobh area is that of road infrastructure, as well as the N25 bypass for the larger Cork East constituency, and the overall fallout from the cost of living crisis.

“The big thing in Cobh would be road infrastructure, particularly around the Fota road, that’s been a big issue for a very long time and no progress has been made in finding a solution there,” said Ms O’Halloran.

“Public transport [as well] is a big one across the east, they really want to see something put back in, I think it was a missed opportunity to put the rail back in, as well as the N25 upgrades and a bypass for Killeagh and Castlemartyr.”

Ms O’Halloran said that constituents are “mixed” in their responses to her party’s approach on the doors, with many raising concerns with carbon tax and housing.

“You really need to be forward thinking around housing, and around having a proper mix of housing that facilitates all needs — I think it’s really important that we’re honest and realistic about the number of houses that can be built,” she added.

Ms O’Halloran further discussed her desire to see a 50-50 gender balance in sitting TDs in Cork East, highlighting that the area has only ever had two female TDs serve in the constituency, with no female representation seen in the division since 2011.

Social Democrats candidate Liam Quaide said: "The main issues that are coming up in Cork East are housing, disability service provision and flood management.

"The housing crisis is cutting across almost all sections of society now. We are seeing a whole generation of people into their 30s, or older, having to live with their parents, unable to start families when they want to or seeing no option but to live abroad.

"I've met so many parents of children with special needs trying to access supports and meeting closed doors everywhere. Our disability services are threadbare and, for critical stages of some children's development, non-existent," he added.

Flood risk remains a huge threat to many residents and business owners in East Cork, Mr Quaide said.

He also said that he Social Democrats would take "much stronger action on vacancy and dereliction" and bring those thousands of properties back into use.

"We would end the neglect of disability services and carers, and recruit necessary staff, as well as creating a senior Minister for Disability to give the sector the political clout it needs to meet the needs of our population.

"We would ensure the maximum deployment of interim flood measures such as flood-gates and, in areas where they was effective, the use of natural flood defences as we continue to pursue longer-term standard Flood Relief Schemes."

While candidates from larger parties have traditionally dominated in Cork East, there are a number of smaller party and independent candidates that are hopeful of change in the division.

With seven smaller party candidates, and four non-party or independent candidates running in the constituency, The Echo spoke to several representatives in the area to garner their approach to the upcoming election.

Representing The Irish People party, James Peter O’Sullivan highlighted the issues of traffic congestion, public transport, and housing as the areas he would prioritise if successful in the election.

“The main issues are terrible traffic jams every morning and evening, public transport is very poor all over East Cork,” he said.

“The railway line between Midleton and Youghal needs to be reopened, [and] the Castlemartyr bypass needs to be done [too].”

He further discussed the issue of boil-water notices, lack of staffing for schools, and the housing crisis, saying, “schools are struggling for teachers [and] it’s nearly impossible to find a place to rent.”

Additionally, Ross Cannon, representing the Ireland’s Voice/Guth Na hÉireann party, said housing and the cost of living were the main problems impacting people in the Cork East constituency.

“The price of everything has gone through the roof, petrol and diesel are going up every second week now — it’s insane,” said Mr Cannon.

“People are down on money big time, and if they [the next Government] impose more taxes, it’ll destroy us [the public].”

Speaking on his experience with voters’ perception of smaller party and independent candidates, Mr Cannon said: “99% of people are sick and tired of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, [but] people aren’t very inclined to vote independent, because they say, ‘he’s on his own’.

“That’s why we set up Guth Na hÉireann — we are the average Joe Soap on the road, we are standing up for people, [and] if we get in, we’ll turn things right. If you vote for me, I will do my best, and I will get things done.”

Further, Kathryn Bermingham of the Independent Ireland party said that a lack of services, funding, and housing were the main issues raised to her, as well as increased difficulty with the cost of living.

“People feel they’re being punished. They’re being told that Ireland is wealthy, but they’re struggling,” said Ms Bermingham.

“The cost of living is going up, taxes are going up, [and] at the end of the day, there is no affordable alternative.

“My goals would be increasing childcare places and providers, supporting local enterprises, and to rebuild the communities and services, reviewing and streamlining taxation, and freezing the carbon tax until alternative solutions are in place.

In addition to candidates featured above, other candidates running in the Cork East constituency include Social Democrats representative Liam Quaide, Fine Gael representative Noel McCarthy, Fianna Fáil representative Deirdre O’Brien, Independent candidate William O’Leary, Independent Ireland representative Catherine Lynch, Sinn Féin representative Mehdi Özçinar, Independent candidate John O’Leary, Independent candidate Frank Roche, and Aontú representative Mona Stromsoe.