Ireland's deputy prime minister Leo Varadkar welcomed a more detailed apology from European Union Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan on Sunday, as the latter has been fending off a chorus of indignant voices within the Irish government demanding he explain his decision to attend a social event in seeming breach of public guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic, reported Reuters.
Nevertheless, a further explanation was required, said Varadkar.
"It is our view that an apology is welcome but he also needs to account for himself and answer any questions that might arise, not just in relation to the dinner but also in relation to his movements around Ireland... If he can't do that, then he needs to consider his position," RTE Radio cited the deputy prime minister as saying.
A day earlier, both Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin and Leo Varadkar spoke with Hogan on the issue, according to a government spokesperson cited by Bloomberg.
Hogan rejected calls to quit on Friday, after he and about 80 others attended an Irish Parliamentary Golf Society function on 19 August.
The Irish representative on the EU executive commission offered an apology for “any distress caused”, and claimed to have followed the government’s quarantine rules, saying he had been assured that the event met Ireland’s pandemic guidelines.
1) I attended the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner on Wednesday 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.
— Phil Hogan (@PhilHoganEU) August 21, 2020
Martin and Varadkar, however, have emphatically stressed 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,” according to a government spokesperson.
“I understand how extremely difficult the restrictions have been for people and the enormous sacrifices we have all made… Funerals, christenings, weddings, family holidays and other really important family occasions have been foregone to protect each other and the most vulnerable. As representatives, we should lead by example,” said Varadkar.
Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath insisted that Hogan needed to “go further” with his apology, adding that he was ultimately accountable to European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen.
Scandalous Dinner Party
Police are probing the controversial event which has already cost one Irish minister his job.
The deputy leader of Ireland’s Fianna Fail (FF) party Dara Calleary resigned as agriculture minister over his attendance at the dinner organized by the Irish parliament’s golf club, where reports claim those present did not wear face masks, shook hands and were “seated 10 to a table”.
Meanwhile, opposition politicians are pressuring Phil Hogan to quit, with lawmaker Aodhan O’Riordan cited as telling RTE Radio that those attending the function had displayed “stunning arrogance.”
The EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, has issued a statement supporting Hogan’s explanation.
“On Tuesday, he attended the event organized by the Irish Parliamentary Golf Society in good faith, on the clear understanding that the organizers and the hotel concerned had been assured by the Irish Hotels’ Federation that the arrangements proposed to be put in place would be in compliance with the government’s guidelines.”
COVID-19 Surge
There has been a marked surge in COVID-19 cases in Ireland, with daily cases now spiking approximately five-fold as compared to early July. The population is being urged to avoid public transport, with older people requested to limit their contacts. Protocols restrict indoor gatherings to six people and outdoor gatherings to 15. In line with government guidelines, no formal or informal events or parties should be organized at cafes and restaurants.
Prime Minister Micheal Martin was cited as saying at a news conference that new restrictive measures would stay in place until at least 13 September, adding:
“We are at another critical moment.”
“The rules are very clear. We must all behave as we are asked to behave,” said Education Minister Norma Foley in an RTE radio interview on Friday.
Ireland has 27, 191 cumulative coronavirus cases according to the World Health Organization’s situation report dated 16 August. The death toll from the respiratory disease stands at 1,774.
