EU Commissioner Phil Hogan called for ‘consideration of role’ by Irish leaders

Ireland’s political leaders have asked EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan to reconsider his position after attending a dinner with more than 80 people.

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin and his replacement Leo Varadkar believe Mr Hogan “should give a full account”, national broadcaster RTÉ reported.

The incident came a day after stricter restrictions were announced.

Irish police are investigating whether the dinner violated Covid-19 regulations.

Attendance at the event has so far led to two high-profile political dismissals.

Former Secretary of Agriculture Dara Calleary and Jerry Buttimer, who was the Lease Chathaoirleach (Deputy Speaker of the Irish Senate), both stepped down after attending the event in County Galway.

As EU Trade Commissioner, Mr Hogan would lead free trade negotiations with the UK if and when they start after Brexit.

On Thursday, however, he found himself in the midst of a growing controversy over his participation in the Oireachtas Golf Society event on Wednesday.

Mr. Hogan apologized before attending the event, writing on Twitter that he “attended to the clear understanding that the organizers and the hotel in question were insured. [by the Irish Hotels’ Federation] that the arrangements made were in accordance with the guidelines of the Government “.

However, the Sunday Independent has reported that Mr Martin and Mr Varadkar want the EU Trade Commissioner to reconsider his position.

A government spokesman told RTÉ that the two men believed it “should never have happened, that the commissioner’s apology came late and that he still has to give a full account and explanation of his actions”.

A spokesman for Mr Hogan told RTÉ that “there will be no response this evening to the call of the Taoist and Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) to reconsider his position”, but that “we will reconsider “.

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The president of the Oireachtas Golf Society apologized “unreservedly” for the pain caused by the dinner.

Others present at the event included Supreme Court Judge Séamus Woulfe and Independent TD (MP) Noel Grealish.

Earlier, Taoiseach Micheál Martin described attending the event as a “monumental error of judgment”.