EU trade commissioner Phil Hogan is told to ‘consider his position’ by Ireland’s political leaders after he attended golf dinner with more than 80 people in breach of Covid guidelines
- EU commissioner Phil Hogan attended golf dinner with 80 people on Wednesday
- Two senior Irish politicians have resigned after details of the dinner came to light
- Ireland’s Taoiseach and Tanaiste have asked Mr Hogan to consider his position
The EU’s trade commissioner Phil Hogan has been told to ‘consider his position,’ by the political leaders of Ireland after he attended a golf dinner with more than 80 people a day after tighter Covid-19 restrictions came into place in Ireland.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar have recalled the Dail, Ireland’s parliament, early to discuss the fallout from the Connemara golf dinner in County Galway on Wednesday, which has already led to two high profile resignations.
Wednesday’s dinner is under investigation by Irish police to see if it breached Covid-19 regulations that were reintroduced on Tuesday.
The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) said it had no role in organising or providing clearance for last week’s Oireachtas Golf Society event in Clifden.
Former agriculture minister Dara Calleary and Jerry Buttimer, deputy chairman of the Irish Seanad, have both resigned after it was revealed they attended the dinner.
EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan is facing calls to resign after he attended a dinner with 80 other people, a day after Covid-19 restrictions were tightened in Ireland
A statement from the Irish Government said: ‘The Taoiseach, Tanaiste, and Minister Eamon Ryan have agreed that the Dail should be recalled following the reopening of schools.
‘The Taoiseach will make this request to the ceann comhairle on Monday.’
The Dail had not been due to return until September 15.
Public figures who attended the event, with more than 80 people across two rooms present, committed a ‘monumental’ error of judgment, the Taoiseach has said.
Dara Calleary, Ireland’s agriculture minister, has resigned after he breached lockdown rules to attend a golf event with at least 81 other people
Mr Martin said his former agriculture minister, Dara Calleary, had done the right thing in resigning, amid a public backlash at the behaviour during the pandemic.
Supreme Court judge Seamus Woulfe was also in attendance.
Gardai are investigating whether the dinner at the Station House Hotel in Clifden, Co Galway, on Wednesday night had breached coronavirus regulations.
The Government said on Tuesday it would reduce the number of people allowed to gather in a bid to reduce the coronavirus rate of spread.
Tables in restaurants should not exceed six people, from no more than three households, and no more than 50 people should gather indoors.
An IHF statement said: ‘The IHF provides general guidance and at all times we encourage hotels and guesthouses to comply with the required guidelines.
‘We do not have any role in enforcing, monitoring or approving the implementation of this guidance or operational guidelines.’
Jerry Buttimer has resigned after attending a golf society dinner with around 80 others
On Wednesday morning the IHF received a follow-up query from the organiser of the Oireachtas Golf Society in relation to the guidelines for indoor gatherings.
It indicated that it had no update from the Department of Tourism on the guidelines.
The representative organisation added: ‘Existing guidance at that time still allowed for indoor gatherings of a maximum of 50 people at any one time.
‘Multiple gatherings were allowed in venue facilities, provided they were in separate defined spaces and there were systems to prevent intermingling in common spaces.’
Calleary was busted after his name appeared on a seating plan for a dinner during the event that also included Ireland’s EU Commissioner Phil Hogan
The Taoiseach denied his leadership had been damaged by the episode, but acknowledged public anger compromised his Government’s messaging around the pandemic.
Mr Calleary and Jerry Buttimer, deputy chairman of the Irish Seanad, announced their resignations on Friday.
The ceann comhairle of the Oireachtas has suggested the golf society be wound up.