Hogan must fully account for movements, says Tánaiste
EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan 'needs to account for himself and explain his own actions'. Picture:Gareth Chaney/Collins
Leo Varadkar says Phil Hogan needs to make a full account of his movements before and after the controversial golfing dinner he attended.
The Tánaiste said he accepted the EU Trade Commissioner’s apology issued on Sunday morning, although he said he wished it had been issued sooner.
But he has appeared to suggest there might still be unanswered questions about Mr Hogan’s movements since he arrived back in Ireland recently.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s , he said: “I think the apology helps. It would have been better if it had come sooner.
“But I think, as well, he needs to account for himself and explain his own actions. He is not a member of the Government.
“It is not my job or the Taoiseach's job or anybody else's job to defend him or make explanations for him.”
He added: “He needs to answer any questions that people have. And that is not just in relation to the dinner.
“It is also any questions that might arise from his movements within the country and his movements in and out of Co Kildare, which are suffering from very tight restrictions.”
He also said Mr Hogan needed to confirm he was compliant of public health guidelines “at all times”.
But then he repeated the call he already made on Saturday for Mr Hogan to “consider his position” if he couldn’t answer questions about his movements.
Mr Varadkar told : “If he is not able to do that and if he can't do that, then he needs to consider his position and that is what we said to him (Saturday).”
This is despite the apology Mr Hogan issued and in response to that initial call for him to consider his position by Mr Varadkar, and the Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Before answering any questions about last Wednesday’s Oireachtas Golfing Society dinner, Mr Varadkar reiterated his earlier views about the event.
“This golf dinner should not have happened,” he said.
“I think of all the people across the country who cancelled weddings, christenings or confirmations. It was a huge insult to them that this event was planned.
“At the very least it should have been cancelled on Tuesday after the Government tightened the restrictions around social gatherings and those who attended should not have attended.”
And he added: “I believe it has done serious damage to our national efforts to suppress the virus which depends on national unity which is undermined.”
Of the conversation he had with Mr Hogan on Saturday, he said the commissioner told him he has “broken no law".
He, however, said: “He does accept he may have breached some of the Government's public health guidelines.
“But he believes that was an honest mistake, that he is not resident in the country and would not be as familiar with them as, say, a cabinet minister who signed off on them.”
"With regard to Phil Hogan, we need to ensure the anger we all justifiably feel does not dictate our response completely," he said.
"We need to realise this is about what is in the national interest rather than just seeking to punish him for the foolish mistake he made.
"He is the EU Trade Commissioner.
"If he resigns, the likelihood is that Ireland will lose that portfolio and we will lose a huge advantage with respect to the Brexit talks."
