The Dáil will also be recalled early in the wake of the ‘golfgate’ controversy.
EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan has been told to “consider his position” following his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Clifden on Wednesday which breached public health guidelines.
In a statement issued on Saturday evening, it was confirmed that both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar had spoken to Hogan and asked him to “consider his position” in the wake of ‘golfgate’.
“The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste did speak with Commissioner Hogan today and asked him to consider his position,” the statement read.
“They both believe that the event should never have been held, that the Commissioner’s apology came late and that he still needs to give a full account and explanations of his actions.”
This week, following a report from the Irish Examiner, it was revealed that Hogan along with 80 other people, some of which consisted of sitting TDs, Seantors, a Supreme Court Judge and a former RTÉ broadcaster, had attended an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Clifden which had breached the government’s public health guidelines.
Hogan did not initially apologise for his attendance at the dinner in his first statement on Friday, instead saying he was assured the arrangements put in place by the hotel were in compliance with government guidelines and that he had fully complied with the government’s quarantine requirements.
However, he did subsequently issue an apology through a spokesperson who said, “With the benefit of hindsight, the commissioner regrets and has apologised for his attendance.”
On Saturday evening a spokesperson for Hogan told RTÉ: “There will be no response this evening to the call from the Taoiseach and Tánaiste that he consider his position.
“We will reflect on that.”
Gardaí are currently investigating the event to determine if there were any breaches to The Health Act.
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