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THE TAOISEACH HAS removed the Fianna Fáil party whip from three senators after they attended a controversial Oireachtas Golf Society event earlier this week.
A Fianna Fáil spokesperson confirmed Micheál Martin has removed the party whip from Senators Paul Daly, Aidan Davitt and Niall Blaney.
81 people are said to have attended the event in Galway on Wednesday, with the room divided into two. The Irish Examiner, which first reported the story, alleged that up to 10 people were seated at tables.
The event appears to have breached public health guidelines, which state that no events, parties or gatherings involving more than six people should be held indoors.
An Garda Síochána today launched an investigation into the event. The three Fianna Fáil senators apologised for their attendance earlier today.
The Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar removed the party whip from three Fine Gael senators who were also in attendance on Wednesday.
Senators Jerry Buttimer, Paddy Burke and John Cummins were among a number of politicians at the event.
Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary resigned from his position as Minister for Agriculture earlier today following his attendance.
Speaking to Midwest Radio, Calleary said he “made a big mistake” and decided to resign after issuing his initial apology last night.
“I made a big mistake. I shouldn’t have gone to the function. I didn’t want to let people down and I take responsibility for that mistake,” the TD said.
“I’ve let people down, I’ve angered a lot of people, I’ve stressed a lot of people that had to make very difficult calls in the last six months about family funerals etc.”
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Is there a chance the track would bend?
@Barry Goodwin: if ya have nothing good to say just say nothing!
@Barry Goodwin: haha Barry. Now I have that song stuck in my head.
@Barry Goodwin: Not on your life my Mancunian friend.
@Elrond Rivendell: what about us brain dead slobs?
@Stephen Boland: you’ll be given cushy jobs
@Stephen Boland: you’ll be given cushy jobs!
@Thomas McDonnell: were you sent here by the devil?!
@Fergal O’Hagan: Not unless you’re Gary Neville!
@Fergal O’Hagan: No good sir I’m on the level
Any chance of some public transport on the Northside? Sick of sitting ages in traffic AT 6am! Whats happening with Metro North? Or are we going to be constantly vilified for having to use the car? I have osteoarthritis before anyone mentioning cycling!
@Lisa Jones: traffic at 6am, where?
@Dublin days: From Crossguns bridge right through Phibsboro and over the 2 luas lines and right up as far as the quays. Lights stay red longer, lanes have been reduced to one lane. I have been working the whole last year starting work at 6.30am and traffic is getting mental. Yes even that early, most likely by people trying to avoid getting caught up in rush hour traffic.
@Lisa Jones: Metrolink – Metro North was the old plan – is still going ahead.
Is the electrification of the line to Maynooth included as was suggested last year? I don’t see it mentioned here but it has been on the table for years. Let’s hope this isn’t another endless pipe dream consultative process that will cost the taxpayer millions without a single sod turned like Metro North, the Royal Canal Greenway deep sinking project, the DART extension to Maynooth. Consultants and engineers making money left, right and centre for flashy drawings and brochures of fictitious, never to be built infrastructure.
https://www.newstalk.com/news/irish-rail-reveals-details-plan-extend-dart-maynooth-1066555
Extension from Heuston…does the dart go to Heuston??
@dreiglaser: Not sure if you missed it but it says in the article a feasibility study and concept design would be undertaken for a future station at “Heuston West” (I assume that is within walking distance from the main Heuston station and it is a change stop), that line would run from Hazelhatch to Connolly via the Phoenix Park Tunnel
Well I hope they have better success than reopening the current line to navan, wasn’t even a priority for the greens
@Hugh Mc Donnell:
Public transport in Ireland is for the fairies.
@iohanx: there must be an election coming up, the usual empty promises and grand plans. Do politicians really think we believe this nonsense. It’s going on years now, metro North an underground Harcourt line to Bray navan rail line
But there’s a train
@Sazzle: if you have nothing good to say just say nothing
@Mark Dit: Nothing
@Mark Dit: sometimes saying nothing is good. I enjoyed Paul’s saying nothing, brightened up my day no end did that.
@This time its personable!: this applies to you more than Paul
With the money in all of these reports and consultation over the years, they would have the price to pay for metro-north and the extension to the Dart line
Should be extended to Sallins/Naas. What a wasted opportunity.
@Tomo: it should be all the way at to Portlaoise
So as per usual with the semi state and the department of wasting money. This will take years. Cost millions more than it should and be over loaded before it launches.
Needs to include a revamp of Hazelhatch Station. Secure bicycle parking, quicker access to platforms, hourly shuttle bus into Celbridge, go-car spaces.
Stations and commuters. Need I say more
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