A senior member of Government has said the senators who broke COVID-19 regulations by attending the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner have “paid a massive price” for their actions.

Opposition parties have called for the Dáil to be recalled over the scandal which saw 80 people, including a Government minister, a Supreme Court Judge and an EU Commissioner, attending the event in County Galway.

Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary resigned over the controversy yesterday, while Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer resigned as Leas-Cathaoirleach of the Seanad.

Today EU Commissioner Phil Hogan is facing mounting pressure to resign over his participation along with Supreme Court Justice Seamus Woulfe.

Meanwhile, the three Fianna Fáil senators and three Fine Gael senators who attended have lost their party whip.

"Massive price"

On Newstalk Breakfast with Eamon Torsney this morning, Junior Minister Martin Heydon said the senators involved have “paid a massive price.”

“The six senators have all lost the party whip and have lost their respective roles in the Seanad so I think a very clear message has gone to people in power here,” he said.

“There are very real, significant consequences for anybody, particularly someone in power because we are held to a different level of account that, if we are found to have broken the restrictions we are trying to encourage others to make, you have to be held to a different level of account and that has happened.”

"Livid"

He said he was “livid” when news of the event broke on Thursday night.

“The reason I was so frustrated was because I recognised how much harder it was going to make all of this,” he said.

“Obviously, it blackens the name of all politicians, even those that were not involved but also it makes it so much harder for the job we need to do. To bring people with us.”

"Significant fallout"

The Fine Gael TD expressed hope the public would recognise the “really significant fallout” form the event yesterday.

“We saw an awful lot of politicians who hold positions that were key in making decisions,” he said.

“We have a Cabinet minister who lost his job here, who paid a very big price for attending this.

I have no doubt Dar Calleary, if he had his time over again, absolutely would take it back and recognise the massive mistake that was made here.

He said he accepts the apologies put forward by Supreme Court Justice Seamus Woulfe and EU Commissioner Phil Hogan.

More follows …