“But we’re moving on, and we’re trying to focus now on the next phase of managing Covid.”
Chief Whip Jack Chambers has said that the recent controversy over events attended by a number of Government officials has been “difficult” for Government.
The Junior Minister said that the last week was “not good” for officials after the news caused “huge frustration and anger”.
On Newstalk Breakfast on Monday, Chambers said: “I acknowledge and appreciate the huge frustration and anger that the last number of days have caused.
“I welcome the fact that the Tánaiste has apologised directly to the industry, and expressed his regret about the controversy.”
Chambers added that the Government is now “moving on” from the controversy to focus on easing more Covid-19 restrictions over the coming months.
“I think it has been a difficult number of days, and last week was not good for the Government – there’s no doubt about that,” he continued.
“But we’re moving on, and we’re trying to focus now on the next phase of managing Covid.”
It comes as a number of politicians have been found to have attended large gatherings over recent weeks.
News broke on Wednesday that Ryan attended a large outdoor party organised by a Green Party councillor at Merrion Cricket Club after the Dublin Bay South by-election.
According to the Irish Examiner, the event was organised by Green candidate Claire Byrne on 29 July and was held “to thank those who campaigned” for her in the by-election.
The Irish Examiner reported on Wednesday that photos from the event showed Byrne alongside multiple guests, many of whom were out of their seats, with Byrne saying that “no more than 50 people were in attendance at any one time”.
However, the invite to the Green Party event was reportedly sent to 3,500 members.
The news came after Katherine Zappone confirmed on Wednesday that she will not accept the appointment as Special Envoy on freedom of opinion and expression in a statement that failed to address a 50-person function held days before the announcement of the appointment.
Zappone issued the statement on the same day it was reported that she hosted a private outdoor function attended by the Tánaiste and around 50 other people.
Meanwhile, video footage also emerged online on Thursday appearing to show breaches of Covid-19 regulations at a pub in Kilgarvin owned by Independent TD Danny Healy Rae.
The video was uploaded by Radio Kerry’s current affairs programme Kerry Today on Twitter, and shows a gathering in the pub with an apparent lack of mask-wearing and social distancing.
The video footage from the gathering shows Healy-Rae in attendance and posing for pictures.
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