Protesters snub Cork FG meeting

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was given his first reprieve from anti-water charge protesters last night after none turned up at a Fine Gael party meeting he was attending in Cork.

The regional party meeting was moved at the last minute to the Oriel House Hotel in Ballincollig, in the western outskirts of the city, following the Rochestown Park Hotel’s decision against hosting it amid security fears about mass anti-water charge protests.

There was a strong Garda presence outside the Oriel House from 7pm, with crash barriers erected outside and access to the hotel car park granted to hotel guests or card-carrying Fine Gael members only. But the feared protest failed to materialise. The Taoiseach arrived about an hour late and was whisked into the hotel.