A Waterford solicitor has hit out at anti-mask campaigners who have circulated a fake letter to local shops, restaurants and pubs using his name.
Kenneth Cunningham of Newell, Gillen and Cunningham solicitors on South Parade in the city, says neither he nor his firm have anything to do with the "poorly constructed and badly photocopied" letters that have gone to dozens of Waterford businesses.
As reported by the Waterford News & Star this morning, dozens of Waterford businesses have received fake 'pre-action' letters from a group calling itself Anti-Corruption Ireland regarding their policy of refusing entry to customers who do not wear masks.
It warns them that with "immediate effect" they should desist with their policies of refusing entry to non-mask wearers because it's a "systematic breach of the law and serious infringement of the civil and human rights".
The letters are signed, fraudulently, by 'Ken Cunningham solicitors, South Parade, Waterford".
Ken Cunningham, who is a well-known and long established solicitor in the Waterford area, told Maria McCann on Deise Today this morning that the matter was brought to his attention a number of weeks ago by a local business, who also happened to be a client of his legal practise.
"I am treating it seriously," he said. "I have a catalogue of incidents now available to me, he said, referring to the fact that he many business owners have since forwarded him their letters also.
"INFURIATING"
He said the situation was "infuriating" as it was "outside of his control".
"There are people in society in are anti many things. It suits certain persons to protest in relation to certain issues and that is their right and privilege," he said, adding that he totally condoned though the use of his name as part of their agenda.
He said local business owners were already in a difficult situation trying to get their businesses going again and it was "never nice to receive" any correspondence that seemed to threaten legal action.
"I can assure that myself, my firm, or nobody associated with the firm, has anything to do with this," he said, adding that he would like any other businesses that have received such letters to get in touch with him.
Meanwhile, also speaking on Deise Today this morning, Green Party TD Marc O'Cathsaigh branded the actions "disgusting".
"I worked in the hospitality industry; it paid my way through college," he said.
"The last 18 months have been so difficult for anyone in restaurants and pubs, trying to keep the wolf from the door, so to speak."
