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Phil Hogan 'has to go' over his attendance at golf event, TD says

European Commissioner Phil Hogan "has to go" over his attendance at the golf event in Co Galway, ...
Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

17.02 21 Aug 2020


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Phil Hogan 'has to go' over hi...

Phil Hogan 'has to go' over his attendance at golf event, TD says

Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

17.02 21 Aug 2020


Share this article


European Commissioner Phil Hogan "has to go" over his attendance at the golf event in Co Galway, RISE TD Paul Murphy has said.

Mr Hogan was among the 80 people who attended the Oireachtas Golf Society Event on Wednesday night.

Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary resigned earlier today over his attendance, while many of the other prominent attendees have issued apologies.

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Earlier today, EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan said he attended "on the clear understanding that the organisers and the hotel concerned had been assured [by the Irish Hotels’ Federation] that the arrangements put in place would be in compliance with the Government’s guidelines".

He also insisted he followed all the self-isolation requirements after he arrived in Ireland in late July.

The European Commission earlier said Mr Hogan demonstrated how seriously he takes COVID-19 regulations by self isolating when he returned to Ireland.

However, Deputy Murphy told The Hard Shoulder he doesn't believe Mr Hogan's position in the European Commission is tenable.

He said: "I think Dara Calleary absolutely had to go - I think Phil Hogan has to go, I think Seamus Woulfe the Supreme Court judge has to go.

"Phil Hogan was a member and appointee of Fine Gael, Leo Varadkar's party. I think they should clearly indicate that they feel Phil Hogan should not continue as European Commissioner."

Mr Justice Seamus Woulfe earlier 'unreservedly apologised' for attending the event.

'Absolute shambles'

Elsewhere, Deputy Murphy said he "felt angry" when he heard about the event yesterday.

He observed: "I also felt... it illustrates something very important about the political establishment in this country.

"Their attitude [is] that they get to make the rules for everybody else, but they're rules that apply to everybody else and they're able to break them quite brazenly."

The RISE TD argued that the Government is in an "absolute shambles" at the moment, and the Dáil needs to be recalled.

He said: "There's this controversy - which is outrageous and tells us a lot about who really runs this country... - but the next issue is going to be the schools.

"I think a lot of people look at the absolute shambles the Government has made of so many things in the last couple of days are rightly thinking 'can we trust this Government to open the schools back safely?'

"All the indications are, in terms of transport and social distancing in schools, they have not put the measures in place."

Main image: File photo of Phil Hogan. Picture by Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

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