The Dáil is to be recalled early in the wake of the ‘Golf Gate’ scandal.

In a statement last night, the Government said TDs would be recalled from their holidays “following the return of schools.”

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar have also asked EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan to consider his position over the controversy.

The public has reacted furiously to revelations that over 80 people, including a Government Minister, a Supreme Court Judge and an EU Commissioner breached COVID-19 guidelines by attending a golf dinner in Galway last week.

Fianna Fáil’s Dara Calleary has already resigned his position as Agriculture Minister for attending the dinner while Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer resigned as Leas-Cathaoirleach of the Seanad.

Phil Hogan (left) and Seamus Woulfe attend the funeral of Peter Sutherland at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Donnybrook Dublin, 11-01-2018. Image: Niall Carson/PA Archive/PA Images

A Government spokesperson said: “The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste did speak with Commissioner Hogan today and asked him to consider his position.”

“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.”

The Government later confirmed that the Dáil would be recalled early.

“The Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and Minister Eamon Ryan have agreed that the Dail should be recalled following the reopening of schools,” said the spokesperson.

“The Taoiseach will make this request to the Ceann Comhairle on Monday.”

The Dáil should return next week, on Tuesday 25th August, not after the schools.

There are too many serious issues to be discussed, and we must restore the confidence of the public.

This is the letter I wrote to the Taoiseach today asking him to bring us back.#recallthedail pic.twitter.com/gKVmzjrYEo

— Alan Kelly TD (@alankellylabour) August 22, 2020

In a tweet last night, the Labour Party Alan Kelly said the Dáil should be recalled immediately and questioned why the move was being delayed until after the return of schools.

He wrote to the Taoiseach warning that there are “too many serious issues to be discussed” for any delay.

“The country is in the midst of a serious crisis of confidence in the institutions of the State and the Government ability to handle this pandemic,” he wrote.

“We need to recall the Dáil and recall the Seanad to deal with these and many other issues.”

Now more than ever, we need a minister for Agriculture.

400 - 500 of the 1,250 Covid-19 cases in the past two weeks have arisen from meat factories or direct provision centres.

The Dáil needs to reconvene.

— Holly Cairns TD (@HollyCairnsTD) August 21, 2020

Speaking to Newstalk, Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane said the Government had become “bogged down in controversy, chaos and disfunction” and said the Dáil recall was inevitable following the revelations of recent days.

“People want strong leadership and the last thing we need during a pandemic is a Government whose authority is crumbling,” he said.

“People are losing confidence in the Government and it is up to the Government to restore that confidence.

“So there is a responsibility on the Taoiseach the Tánaiste to act.”

The three Fianna Fáil senators and three Fine Gael senators who attended have lost their party whip.

Both Commissioner Hogan and Mr Justice Woulfe have apologised for attending the dinner; however, they each claimed they believed they were acting within Government guidelines.

Independent TD Noel Grealish also apologised and insisted he believed the event was permitted under the guidelines