European Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan of Ireland again apologized on Sunday for attending a gala dinner in violation of health restrictions linked to the coronavirus. This scandal earned him calls for resignation.
"I would like to apologize fully and wholeheartedly for attending the Oireachtas Golf Club dinner on Wednesday evening," Hogan said in a statement. “I recognize that my actions have offended the people of Ireland and I am deeply sorry,” he added.
82 scandalous guests and resignations
This dinner, organized for the 50th anniversary of the Irish Parliament golf club with 82 guests, caused a scandal and led several people to resign, including Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin and Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Saturday asked Mr Hogan to consider resigning and announced the convocation of Parliament. "I discussed yesterday with the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste and I listened attentively to their opinions, which I respect", specified Sunday Mr. Hogan, referring to the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland.
“I have reported to the President of the European Commission on all these issues over the past few days,” Hogan added, referring to Ursula von der Leyen. “The President is monitoring the situation closely. She asked Commissioner Hogan to provide a full report with details of the event. It is important that the facts are carefully established to carefully assess the situation, ”said a spokesperson for the Commission.
The dinner in question took place the day after a decision by authorities to tighten restrictions on gatherings, banning meetings of more than six people indoors. Irish police announced on Friday the opening of an investigation into "violations" of the law.
"A late apology"
MM. Martin and Varadkar, who heads the Fine Gael, a party of which Mr. Hogan is a former member, said on Saturday "to have spoken with Commissioner Hogan and to have asked him to assume his responsibilities".
Elected to the Irish Parliament from 1987 to 2014 and Minister for the Environment from 2011 to 2014, Mr Hogan had previously claimed to have attended the evening "on the basis of a clear understanding that the organizers and the hotel in question had been assured that the arrangements put in place would respect the instructions of the government ”. He later issued a statement to apologize.
But "the excuses of the commissioner are late and (...) he still has to relate in detail and explain his actions", estimated the spokesman for the Prime Minister. Messrs Martin and Varadkar “both believe that the event should never have taken place”, he said.
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- Covid 19
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- Coronavirus
- European Commission
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