Golfgate: Supreme Court orders report on judge's attendance

Séamus Woulfe: Recently appointed Supreme Court judge faces investigation. Picture: Maxwell’s

Former attorney general Séamus Woulfe’s presence at the Oireachtas golf event is now the subject of an unprecedented Supreme Court probe as EU commissioner Phil Hogan’s fate hangs in the balance.

Former chief justice Susan Denham will “immediately” begin investigating whether the recently appointed Supreme Court judge should have accepted an invitation to be at the event, whether he should have left the hotel, or whether he should have left the event before the dinner.

“In the context of those questions, Ms Justice Denham has also been asked to consider whether there are any relevant codes of practice or guidelines and to make any recommendations in that regard which she considers appropriate,” read a Supreme Court statement.

Mr Hogan’s position hangs in the balance as European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is investigating the circumstances surrounding Mr Hogan's attendance at the event.

A spokeswoman for the president said Mr Hogan, the EU's trade commissioner, had given an account of his actions to the president, but she had requested further clarification from him.

European Commission spokesman Dana Spinant told reporters: "This is a matter which requires careful assessment on our side.

"It is a matter where details count, therefore the president has requested Commissioner Hogan to provide a full report covering the matters... the president has received such a report from Commissioner Hogan last night."

She added: "The president has requested further clarifications because details are important and she wishes to have them."

It is understood that Mr Hogan told Ms von der Leyen that he was assured on two separate occasions by the organisers that the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner which he attended in Clifden, Co Galway, last week was Covid-compliant.

Mr Hogan is believed to have spoken by phone with Ms von der Leyen yesterday afternoon.

Sources have said the pair also were in contact via text message.

Mr Hogan delivered a two-page report to Ms von der Leyen on the event and on his movements around Kildare and other counties in the run-up to the event in Clifden.

Requests for comments to Mr Hogan about his movements in Ireland went unanswered yesterday.

Back home, the Government was at “sixes and sevens” over its position on Mr Hogan’s future, according to several ministers.

Confusion reigned after Taoiseach Micheál Martin, speaking on RTÉ radio, stopped short of calling on Mr Hogan to resign, just two hours after one of his own ministers had done so.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said the Government did not have confidence in Mr Hogan and that he should resign.

However, Mr Martin said while he was “very angry” about the event in Clifden, it was for Mr Hogan to make himself available to explain his movements in Ireland, despite issuing six statements in 72 hours.

Several ministers hit out at Mr Martin’s “poor and confusing” interview on RTÉ radio.

“I was listening and I am not sure about the Government’s position on Phil Hogan. It was a disaster,” said one minister.

Other Government sources have suggested Mr O’Brien “overreached” in his commentary on radio and that he was never instructed to call on Mr Hogan to resign.

Ministers have warned that the Government risks being highly damaged were Mr Hogan to remain in his post, given the Taoiseach and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, over the weekend, called on him to consider his position.

It also emerged yesterday that Dara Calleary, who resigned as agriculture minister last week in the wake of the event, has also resigned as Fianna Fáil deputy leader and national secretary of the party.

Former Fianna Fáil TD and junior minister Áine Brady apologised for her attendance at the event.

In a statement issued by Third Age, the older persons' charity of which she is the CEO, Ms Brady said she had accompanied her husband Gerry, who is also a former Fianna Fáil TD, to the event after he had played in the golf tournament.