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LAST UPDATE | 26 Aug 2020
PHIL HOGAN HAS resigned from his role as EU Commissioner for Trade in the wake of the Golfgate scandal and questions about his movements while in Ireland.
In a statement published just before 9pm, Hogan said it was “becoming increasingly clear that the controversy concerning my recent visit to Ireland was becoming a distraction from my work as an EU Commissioner and would undermine my work in the key months ahead”.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Nine O’Clock News, Hogan said: “I broke no law, I broke no regulations, but I could have adhered better to the guidelines.”
He acknowledged that he caused upset and anger in Ireland, and said that the issue had become an unacceptable distraction that was going to continue.
Hogan was one of over 80 attendees at the Oireachtas Golf Society event last Wednesday night. The fallout has seen Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary resign, a garda probe launched and the early recall of the Dáil.
On Saturday, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar asked Hogan to “consider his position” as EU Commissioner and said he needed to give a “full account and explanations of his actions”.
But it was up to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to decide whether Hogan retained the role as EU Commissioner; the EC President had requested statements explaining his movements while in Ireland.
Yesterday afternoon, Hogan released a statement and timeline of his movements before and after the golfgate dinner in Clifden, but questions remained over his compliance with public health guidelines – particularly in relation to his compliance with quarantine after returning to Ireland from Brussels, and his adherence to a strict lockdown in Co Kildare.
Last night, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan released a joint-statement saying that “it is clear” that Hogan breached public health guidelines while in Ireland.
This evening, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister Ryan released another statement to say that “while this must have been a difficult decision for him personally, we believe that it is the correct course of action given the circumstances of the past week”.
The statement added that his replacement would be considered in due course.
In response to his resignation, von der Leyen said that she respects Hogan’s decision and is “very grateful” for his “tireless” work as a Trade Commissioner and as Agriculture Commissioner.
“He was a valuable and respected member of the College. I wish him all the best for the future,” her statement concludes.
Statement from Hogan
In a statement released on the European Commission website, Hogan said that he had handed in his resignation to EC President Ursula von der Leyen.
In it, he states: “It was becoming increasingly clear that the controversy concerning my recent visit to Ireland was becoming a distraction from my work as an EU Commissioner and would undermine my work in the key months ahead.”
In his interview with RTÉ this evening, Hogan said:
I have meditated on this very seriously in the last few days and I have come to the reluctant conclusion that this sort of distraction was going to continue, and therefore I should resign and take myself away from this essential work.
He said he the distraction was “not acceptable”. He also clarified that he resigned, and was not sacked by von der Leyen.
Hogan’s written statement continues: “I deeply regret that my trip to Ireland – the country that I have been so proud to represent as a public servant for most of my adult life – caused such concern, unease and upset.
I have always tried to comply with all relevant Covid-19 regulations in Ireland and had understood that I had met with all relevant public health guidelines, particularly following confirmation of a negative Covid-19 test. I reiterate my heartfelt apology to the Irish people for the mistakes I made during my visit.
With reporting from Laura Byrne and Sean Murray
“Source: The Journal”
Seriously.
Does the ministry for Irish not speak Irish either, wtf
yet again we see one rule for tds and another for the rest of us. what employer would offer me a job if my cv stated I’d no knowledge of an essential part of the position. do you think the employer would take me on and then pay for me to gain knowledge in the subject. it’s just bonkers. they won’t apply the same rights for everyone else and only last week it’s transpires that a private company has offered to pay for a teacher in the aran islands, no funding for the kids one on one there courtesy of the govt, no that only applies to the pampered few in leinster house.
Hope he’s a quick learner because they don’t have a lot of time left in office.
Poor Joe doesn’t realise Montreal and Nova Scotia are in Canada, good lad!
On the continent of North America….containing Americans… Shocker!!!
For those of you who are perhaps not too happy with Joe McHugh, in particular with his recent decision to stop the vital aeroplane service to The Aran Islands, celebrated Ghaelacht Islands, sign this petition now. If Joe McHugh really cared for the Ghaeltacht, he would’t be getting rid of such a necessary service.
Petition here: https://www.change.org/p/joe-mchugh-enda-kenny-save-the-aran-islands-aeroplane-service/
It’s getting replaced by a helicopter service. Is that not worth mentioning or do we just have to get in a rage about everything?
Helis can operate in rougher weather and the winning bid came in €300,000 lower than the encumbent what’s the problem?
it’s change. they just don’t like change for the sake of it, even though the company operating them are also from Galway and have to provide the same service for the same price to islanders.
Not like the Eircode tender where the winner gave the third placed a juicy contract in UK 2 years after they mysteriously withdrew. And winner will give €23.6 million of the €27 million tender to second place An Post. And even though Loc8 code offered a perfect post code for free…could a tender be any more corrupt?
He was fluent in bull shit long before he was handed his cushy number. Seems to be a prerequisite for being a FG TD though.
The question about being taught by a non native teacher was a bit odd seeing that the vast majority of school kids in Ireland are taught Irish, French, German etc by non native speaker teachers. In fact worldwide more than 80% of language teachers are not native speakers.
Is this lad a mature student or an intern? Seems like an expensive education at our expense. Btw the ersi report shows an increase of 18% in attitude, that’s not the small figure Enda was referring to, would someone ask some pertinent questions please.
A documentary on radio 1 showed how bad mc hugh is at irish, you don’t pick it up in a year. He only lives a few miles from the gaeltacht too.
Good for him. I applaud him learning and showing by example it can easily be done with hard work and determination besides moaning about him not been born into an Irish speaking family.
You learn Irish at school, or you would do if there was any competence around the subject. Handing out the portfolio like a treat has it this way, this lad seems to be on a personal journey, he’s a bloody Minister.
No comment.
another parasite.
“Minister Qualifies”
An educational achievement for Enda the Educator, pyrrhic for Enda the Taoiseach.
Tir gan teanga ……..
Tir gan eolas!
…agus tír gon anam. :(
I’d be surprise if Joe keeps his seat at next election. Donegal is going from 6 seats (2 x 3 seat constuitency) to a 5 seater (with chunk of South Donegal going into new “Sligo–Leitrim” constituency.
The fact that he was given job in first place was probably to rise his profile come the election, same can be said for Heather Humphries whose seat is also probably marginal.
Who gives a f**k, really.. This is not news
Perhaps he could visit the Aran Islands. He mightn’t learn many beannachtaí but would definitely get invaluable experience of mallachtaí, given his ridiculous decision to stop the Air Aran service. As they say McHugh Níl son tóin tinn mar do thóin tinn féin.
*aon*
Bye bye Joe
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