#Golfgate: 'Under fire' politicians make international headlines

Dara Calleray TD. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Government has been rocked by the fall-out from an Oireachtas Golf Society event in Galway on Wednesday night.

The then Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary was among over 80 people who attended the event, which breached public health guidelines.

Current public health guidelines around Covid-19 say that no more than 50 people should gather indoors.

Mr Calleary has since resigned.

 

The event, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Oireachtas Golf Society, saw a number of public figures attend, including Dara Calleary, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan, Supreme Court judge and former Attorney General Seamus Woulfe, Circuit Court judge Pat McCartan, Independent TD Noel Grealish and senators Paul Daly, Aidan Davitt, Niall Blaney, Paddy Burke, John Cummins and Jerry Buttimer.

The news story has been picked up internationally with the New York Times leading with Ireland's EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and former Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary "under fire for attending golf event amid Covid restrictions".

Referencing the Irish Examiner's coverage of the story they wrote:

"An Irish Cabinet minister apologised "unreservedly" on Thursday for attending a social event with more than 80 people - reported to have included European Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan - which may have breached COVID-19 regulations.

"The Irish Examiner newspaper reported that on the next night, 81 people, including current and former politicians, attended a dinner hosted by the Irish parliament's golf society in a hotel.

"Calleary said in a statement that in light of the updated public health guidance, he should not have attended the event."

The story was also picked up by a number of outlets across Europe including 

The BBC 

Irish agriculture minister Dara Calleary resigns after attending golf dinner with more than 80 people https://t.co/IZQUkb95AW

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 21, 2020

The Guardian

Euronews 

The Times

Politico.eu

Le Parisien

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Ouest-France