Cork councillor slams 'cowardly and despicable' AI poison pen campaign

A member of Cork City Council has denounced as “cowardly and despicable” what he says is an AI poison pen campaign targeting him and a named public official.

That campaign has taken the form of digitally altered council documents circulated around northside WhatsApp groups, playing on concerns around asylum seekers.

The altered documents purport to show a proposal that the council seeks planning permission to develop a disused commercial premises as an International Protection Accommodation Service (Ipas) centre.

The old Keating’s Fitted Furniture building on Ballyvolane’s Ballyhooly Rd has been idle for 25 years. At the January meeting of Cork City Council, a proposal was made that the council compulsorily purchase the property.

John Maher, Labour Party city councillor for the north-east ward, proposed that the council buy the building and develop it as “a shared space for business, community and residential” use.

Responding

Responding, Cork City Council director of services for planning and integrated development Niall Ó Donnabháin said the council had engaged with the selling agent and consideration was being given to the “potential use for the entirety of the lands on which the property is constructed”.

That consideration, Mr Ó Donnabháin said, would include input from the directors of service at the council’s housing directorate and its community and corporate affairs directorate, and would ultimately determine the council’s level of interest in purchasing the property.

However, doctored versions of Mr Maher’s motion and Mr Ó Donnabháin’s response were circulated recently across northside WhatsApp groups.

Altered

The altered motion reads: “That Cork City Council seeks planning permission to develop the old Keating’s Fitted Furniture building on Ballyhooly Rd as an International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre for the accommodation of asylum seekers and refugees. (Proposer: Cllr. John Maher.)”

The altered response claims that the council’s planning department “has engaged with the relevant authorities regarding the potential development of the above referenced property as an IPAS centre”.

Mr Maher told The Echo the campaign was “cowardly and despicable AI-generated false news that doesn’t help one person in our community”.

“It is disgusting to me that as a result of hitting a public rep that a professional staff member would be made a target,” he said.

A spokesperson said Cork City Council was aware of “inaccurate and misleading information” online in relation to the former Keating’s site.