HOGAN OUT BUT ‘I DIDN’T BREAK THE LAW’
Still defiant, ex-commissioner says he quit because row was a ‘distraction’ to his job
PHIL Hogan finally resigned from his plum European Commissioner role last night. However, he only did so a full week after the Golfgate
scandal that shook the political establishment here.
And the former Fine Gael senior minister was defiant right to the end, insisting: ‘I broke no law’ and that he ‘broke no regulations’. Though he had come under increasing pressure to quit after being in breach of public safety Covid-19 restrictions, he said last night he stepped down because the row over his presence at the
Clifden golf dinner with 80 others had become a ‘distraction’.
‘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,’ he said.
Mr Hogan’s futile efforts to save his €336,000-a-year job came after senior minister Dara Calleary resigned from Cabinet and as Fianna Fáil deputy leader, broadcaster Seán O’Rourke appeared to lose a chance of returning to RTÉ and a number of senators and councillors lost their party whip.
Focus now turns to Supreme Court Judge Séamus Woulfe, who also attended the dinner in breach of the Covid-19 guidelines, and is being investigated by his peers.
Mr Hogan’s position became untenable after he had made a last ditch effort to stave off resignation by presenting a dossier to his boss EU president Ursula von Leyen on Tuesday night, which had crucial omissions. He gave an interview to the RTÉ 9pm news last night where he said he decided to resign as ‘the sort of distraction was going to continue and continue’. Though he added he understood the ‘upset, concern and anger’ that there was in Ireland over the controversy.
Though he appeared emotional and more humble than he had been in an interview the previous evening, he was defiant to the last, insisting: ‘I broke no law’ and
‘He also resigned 25 years ago’
‘broke no regulations’, but he added that he ‘could have adhered to guidelines’ better.
He said he had ‘resigned himself’ and he was not asked to stand down by Dr von der Leyen, adding that he knew ‘how to take the responsibility’ after 40 years in public life, and he even pointed out that he had resigned 25 years ago, as a junior minister, during another political controversy.
Within minutes of Mr Hogan’s interview finishing on RTÉ the Government released a statement. It read: ‘The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister Ryan acknowledge the resignation of Mr Phil Hogan and 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. We all have a responsibility to support and adhere to public health guidelines and regulations. We all must persevere in our efforts against Covid-19. Former Commissioner Hogan has served Europe and Ireland with distinction. The Government will consider his replacement in due course.’ The night before, Mr Hogan also conducted a TV interview with RTÉ, that led to an unprecedented condemnatory statement from the three Government leaders. They said Mr Hogan had breached Covid-19 restrictions. Dr von der Leyen also issued a statement last night, saying: ‘Commissioner Phil Hogan has submitted his resignation. I respect his decision. I am very grateful to him for his tireless work as a Trade Commissioner, since the start of this mandate and for his successful term as Commissioner in charge of Agriculture in the previous College. He was a valuable and respected member of the College. I wish him all the best for the future.’
Labour leader Alan Kelly said last night that the commissioner role must be filled immediately.
‘I welcome the decision of Phil Hogan to resign from the EU Commission and I want to thank him for his service. However, this action is five days overdue and has resulted in enormous damage to our effort to tackle Covid-19. It was clear from a very early stage that he had to go, such was the level of public anger at the flagrant breach of Covid-19 regulations at the Oireachtas Golf event and non-compliance with the 14-day isolation period.
‘The Government needs to move
Urgent need for a new commissioner
quickly to fill the vacancy that now arises in the EU Commission at what is a critical moment for Ireland. The Irish nominee must be a person of the highest calibre to impress upon the Commission president and the European Parliament that we should retain the trade portfolio. If necessary that means the Government must break with tradition and consider a person from outside the party political system.’
Yet, Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews told the Irish Daily Mail that he believes the role must be filled from within the political system. Mr Andews said: ‘I welcome the decision [of Mr Hogan] although speaking as a member of the Trade Committee the almost inevitable loss of the trade portfolio is an enormous blow.
‘I am strongly against the appointment of a diplomat or civil servant to the role. The Commission has made strides to be more
political and more in touch with voters.’
It looked ominous for Mr Hogan yesterday afternoon when Dr von Leyen’s spokeswoman told a press conference: ‘The president is studying carefully the report that was submitted by Commissioner Hogan yesterday.’ She described the matter as ‘a serious one’.
‘The president is in contact with Commissioner Hogan about it,’ she added, ‘On the other hand, we have taken note of the statement by Irish authorities.’
Last week, Mr Hogan attended the Oireachtas Golf Society event in Clifden, with 80 others, and his movements to and from the controversial event and around Ireland while coronavirus restrictions were in place emerged gradually over the following days.
Mr Hogan had come under increasing pressure after the account of his movements while in Ireland was given to Dr von der Leyen. His itinerary revealed he had not completed 14 days of self-isolation according to the rules for incoming travellers. Mr Hogan said that rules did not apply to him as he had received a negative result from a Covid-19 test. This was dismissed by the Department of Health.
An eyewitness also revealed to the Mail that Mr Hogan had been in the Dunraven Arms hotel in Adare, Co. Limerick, and had dined among fellow guests when he should have been in quarantine.
It also emerged that he had dined in the restaurant of the K Club hotel and golf resort in Co. Kildare.