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The Taoiseach office was inundated with emails demanding that he fire former Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary on the night of revealed his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society event in August and the days after.
Documents released by the Taoiseach Department under Freedom of Information show that more than 400 pieces of correspondence were received in the week after the event, which became known as Golfgate, came to light.
The documents show that the emails started arriving an hour after the The story will go online. Many demanded the resignation of Mr. Calleary, which came just 12 hours after the event was made public.
Many point out that the dinner, which celebrated the society’s 50th anniversary, came just one day after the government introduced a series of Covid-19 restrictions, prohibiting gatherings.
In all, 81 people attended the dinner at Station House in Clifden, Co Galway, including Mr. Calleary and several other politicians and public figures.
One says: “With reference to Mr. Calleary and his shipment, you have to resign, peeing with the rest of us, how dare you? An apology is not enough.”
Another signed by a “very, very angry and disappointed voter” says: “It is the most infuriating thing I have heard all year and of ALL the things that Fianna Fáil has done over the years this could be the worst, and that’s saying something. “
The fallout from the event saw the resignations of Calleary as Agriculture Minister, Phil Hogan as EU Trade Commissioner and Jerry Buttimer of Fine Gael as the Cathaorleach of the Seanad. Six more senators lost the match whips to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, three from each match.
Mr. Martin said the day after the event that it was a “monumental mistake” and said it had the potential to undermine the public health message.
“It was a monumental error in judgment on the part of everyone who attended. I am deeply disappointed by what happened, “Martin said.
That is repeated in the correspondence, which says the event “blatantly ignored the rules” and tells the Taoiseach that it has “lost the country.”
“People will die unnecessarily because of this,” says one.
Another says, “I’ve been obeying the rules since March and I think it’s a shame that people think that once they apologize, all is forgiven. Why should I abide by the rules when those who set them don’t?”
Many of the letters came from people who described themselves as voters of Fianna Fáil and expressed their views on what the issue will do for the party.
“In 23 years of voting for Fianna Fáil, we have never felt so angry and disappointed by her party,” begins one, who asks Mr. Calleary to remove the party whip.
“I ask this in order not to lose support for the restrictions to which we are all subjected.”
Many of the letters make it clear that the writers hold Mr. Martin responsible for the results of the event, even though the Taoiseach did not know about the dinner until he was informed by the .
One letter tells the Taoiseach that he has “lost credibility as the leader of the Fianna Fáil.”
A “concerned grandfather” asks Martin to “write to the EU” to express his dissatisfaction with Hogan’s attendance, although one person asked Martin not to remember the former commissioner due to the Brexit trade talks, calling it “thugs” who criticized the meeting. .
Others describe the price the pandemic has taken on them. People talk about lost weddings and funerals due to restrictions.
Another says his daughters can’t have birthday parties: “How would you ask me to fix this with them? Are you telling them to stand up?”
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