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Brian Hayes, executive director of the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI), considered resigning after attending this year’s controversial Oireachtas golf society dinner, said former Minister of State and Fine Gael MEP.
Mr Hayes attended the meeting in August this year, which led to the resignation of then-Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary and European Commissioner Phil Hogan. With more than 80 people in attendance, it went ahead despite Covid-19 public health guidelines that place limits on indoor gatherings.
However, Hayes, a former minister of state for financial services, said Tuesday that he discussed the matter with the board of his current employer, the BPFI.
When asked if he had considered resigning, he said: “I did, but I felt that, having spoken with our board, it was not appropriate. I assumed an important responsibility in an important sector. A sector in which I believe, which has made a lot of mistakes in the past, but a sector that is important for the future of this country, ”he told the Drivetime program on RTÉ Radio.
“And I thought the right thing to do was to go ahead, apologize, which I did, and I have no difficulty apologizing to you again now,” she told host Sarah McInerney.
When asked if he was sanctioned by his employer, he said he had a “very long conversation” with the BPFI. He said BPFI “took the matter very seriously and accepted my apology and I appreciate it and acknowledge it.”
Several times, Mr. Hayes got back to the point that he was on vacation when the event occurred and that he usually attended golf dinner as part of his vacation routine.
“I was on vacation at the time and, like many people, I would have done things differently if I had thought about it at the time. I was in Clifden at the time. There were a lot of people on vacation. As I said, I apologize without reservation, without reservation and sincerely for attending the dinner, ”he said.
He said that during the event he was aware that there was a second room behind a partition that had been installed.
Supreme Court Justice Séamus Woulfe, who has also come under heavy pressure and faced widespread criticism for his attendance at the dinner, has said he did not know there was a second room with assistants behind the partition. Mr. Hayes made no reference to this in the interview.
Mr. Hayes said, “I knew there was a second assembly hall, yes, and that there was a clear division between them, yes.” When asked if he knew he was breaking the rules, he said, “Well, I didn’t, but I was very embarrassed when I went to dinner and I apologize without reservation now, as I did at the time.”
He said that he recognizes “the pain that dinner caused him. Whatever the best motivations of the people and the best intentions of the people at the time, it was wrong to have dinner. I apologized at the time and will do it again. It shouldn’t have happened and I think it caused great anguish in the country and I fully recognize it. “
When asked again if he knew he was breaking the rules, he said: “I really didn’t do it and when I stepped into the situation I wished I hadn’t. I know that at that time there are two very large rooms, all the organizers of the hotel in question made an attempt … but regardless of the rules, I should not have gone, there should not have been a celebration dinner. That is the point I am making.
Mr. Hayes, when asked if you could understand the perception that there was a golden circle of politicians socializing with representatives of the banking sector, you said that is not what happened. “Anyone who knows me knows that I play golf. They know that I am a former member of the Oireachtas. It was a social setting for the people. “
He said he didn’t speak to Mr. Calleary at dinner. “I was on my vacation with the idea that I was going to lobby for banks or say something about banking policy to anyone, anyone who knows me, that was not going to happen on my vacation.
“I attended the same event probably every year for the last 15 years. It is usually the beginning of my vacation.
“All I can tell you is the truth and I know others want to represent it differently, but that is other people’s business.”
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