Dara Calleary: Taoiseach 'entitled to be angry' over #Golfgate

Dara Calleary (right) revealed that the Taoiseach Micheál Martin (left) is angry and disappointed with him. File Picture: Gareth Chaney

Dara Calleary has said he has let everyone down by attending the Oireachtas Golf Society event in Galway on Wednesday night, as revealed by the Irish Examiner.

He told the Tommy Marren Show on Mid West Radio that his attendance has also damaged the work of front line staff in their battle with coronavirus.

The Fianna Fáil TD revealed that the Taoiseach Micheál Martin is angry and disappointed with him.

The former Agriculture Minister said: "I've let him down, I've let my colleagues in Government down, so he's entitled to be angry. 

He's entitled to be disappointed. They're all entitled to that anger and disappointment.

He also acknowledged the damage his actions have done to the country's efforts to eradicate Covid-19.

Mr Calleary said: "Specifically, in my letter of resignation I acknowledged front line workers and their families and public health workers, the damage I've done to their work, unintentionally, I absolutely fully support their work, they've done huge work in the last six months and they've made huge sacrifices and my actions undermine that work.

So, to all of our front line workers, all of our medical, HSE and our public health people who often don't get acknowledged I'm genuinely very sorry for undermining their work as well.

What we have done over the last six months is worked incredibly hard to get messages out, to get public health messages out, I want to reiterate that and to recommit to that, particularly as we come into the winter.

He finished by saying that he regrets having to leave the Department of Agriculture.

He said: "Even though it was only four or five weeks, it was the most incredible department to work in, incredibly hard-working public servants right across the country who have worked so hard, in particular the last several months. 

"I was really excited about it, I was really getting stuck into it, we had signed off on a number of things, but somebody else will now have that honour and have the privilege of leading that wonderful organisation."