EU official clings to post after virus golf dinner

Irishman Phil Hogan has been urged to consider his position by the leaders of the Republic’s coalition Government, Micheal Martin and Leo Varadkar, after the event at a hotel in the west of Ireland with more than 80 people present.

He is a senior Irish politician with significant standing in Brussels who would be deeply involved in any deal with Britain after Brexit.

In a statement he said: “I acknowledge my actions have touched a nerve for the people of Ireland, something for which I am profoundly sorry.

“I realise fully the unnecessary stress, risk and offence caused to the people of Ireland by my attendance at such an event, at such a difficult time for all, and I am extremely sorry for this.”

Police are investigating whether coronavirus regulations were broken in holding the Irish parliament’s golf society event two days after the Government announced it intended to curb the numbers permitted to gather together.

A resurgence in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks has led Ireland to backtrack on some of its plan to reopen society after lockdown.

The function was held across two rooms in the hotel in Clifden.

Other attendees including the then agriculture minister Dara Calleary have resigned.

A Supreme Court judge was among others on the guest list.

Mr Hogan said: “I acknowledge that the issue is far bigger than compliance with rules and regulations and adherence to legalities and procedures.

“All of us must display solidarity as we try to stamp out this common plague.

“I thus offer this fulsome and profound apology, at this difficult time for all people, as the world as a whole combats Covid-19.”

An Irish Government statement said Mr Martin and his deputy Mr Varadkar “both believe 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 explanation of his actions”.

Mr Hogan is the EU’s former agriculture commissioner and oversaw significant reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Trade is a central issue in the EU’s efforts to build agreement with the UK to mitigate any ill-effects from Brexit.

It is the EU Commission president who would have to force his resignation.