Dara Calleary resigns as deputy leader of Fianna Fáíl

Dara Calleaery has resigned as deputy leader of Fianna Fáil. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins 

Dara Calleary has resigned as deputy leader of Fianna Fáil. 

Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne show, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Mr Calleary tended his resignation voluntarily. 

The under-fire Mayo TD came under significant criticism for attending an Oireachtas Golf society dinner event that saw more than 80 people including EU Commissioner Phil Hogan attend an indoor event in breach of public health guidelines published by the government in the same week.

Dara Calleary has resigned as Fianna Fàil deputy leader and national secretary, Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD has said #iestaff

— Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) August 24, 2020

Mr Calleary resigned from his position as Minister for Agriculture last week as a result. 

Mr Martin also said the Mayo TD had resigned as national secretary of the party. 

The Taoiseach said that Mr Calleary is “very, very sorry” for attending a golf dinner during the pandemic.

Mr Martin said: “He knows he did wrong, he knows he got it wrong and he understood the key point that the actions by him… he doesn’t play golf, but by going down to speak he essentially was undermining the authority of the Government to bring in restrictions.” 

Gardaí are investigating whether coronavirus regulations were broken in holding the Oireachtas golf society event two days after the Government announced it intended to curb the numbers permitted to gather together.