Now there’s an idea…

James O’Connor TD joined Patricia Messinger on C103 Cork this morning to discuss public concerns over the return to various events – including large outdoor and indoor gigs, as well as music festivals.

At the forefront of conversations about a return to normality has been Electric Picnic, which seemingly was put back on the cards when Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan said that such an event could be possible for a fully vaccinated audience.

However, Laois County Council quickly moved to put the kibosh on the suggestion, and said that the county would not be hosting the festival this year.

Asked by Messinger whether the festival could be held in Cork, O’Connor was positive. “I certainly think there’s an opportunity there. There’s venues around the county, Mallow racecourse near the station, I think we could hold it.”

O’Connor even suggested that stadiums could be used “if the overnight element of Electric Picnic was cancelled.”

The Fianna Fáil man, who is a TD for Cork East, also called out Laois County Council for declining to give permission for the Stradbally festival, saying: “I think it’s the wrong decision to make, I think it was a knee-jerk reaction. I think if you see what Melvin Benn has done in other countries and our high vaccination rate, it should be possible.”