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THE TAOISEACH AND Tánaiste have spoken to EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and asked him to consider his position in the wake of ‘golfgate’.
In a statement this evening, a spokesperson confirmed that:
“The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste did speak with Commissioner Hogan today and asked him to consider his position.
“They both believe that the event should never have been held, that the Commissioner’s apology came late and that he still needs to give a full account and explanations of his actions.”
On Thursday night, the Irish Examiner broke the story that Hogan was one of around 80 attendees at a golf function in Clifden, Co Galway.
Hogan claimed yesterday that he obeyed the government’s quarantine rules before attending the event.
In a statement on Twitter yesterday morning, Hogan said he was assured by the organisers that the arrangements in place complied with the government’s public health guidelines.
The Commissioner also confirmed yesterday that he restricted movements for two weeks after entering the country.
“Prior to the event, I had complied fully with the government’s quarantine requirements, having been in Ireland since late July,” he said at the time.
However, he initially did not apologise as part of his statement, and the Taoiseach called on him to do so in order to address the anger felt by the public.
Following this, Hogan did apologise for attending the Oireachtas Golf Society event in Clifden.
A spokesperson for Hogan said yesterday that he “regretted and apologises” for attending the event.
This evening a spokesperson for Hogan told RTÉ: “There will be no response this evening to the call from the Taoiseach and Tánaiste that he consider his position.
“We will reflect on that.”
Gardaí are investigating the event and whether it broke any Covid-19 guidelines.
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Wouldn’t be like the church to break the law and get away with it.
Why are the department of health commenting on priests….is there a connection??
@Sarah Cullen: Because the dept of health has become the government and the judiciary
So if I have a house party I could be fined up to €2,500 and face 6 months in prison unless I’m a priest, in which case I can hold multiple mass each week and have no fear….
@Jim Buckley Barrett: Invite a priest to the party….sorted!
@Sarah Cullen: Id’ recommend The Spinmaster, Father Billy O’Dwyer.
@Sarah Cullen: lol
@Jim Buckley Barrett: drink all the red wine you want, it’s Gods will.
We are NOT in anything together beside trying to dodge rules as much as possible as it seems.
@Vanessa: so what would you do
What about ordained jedi Knights?
So religious gatherings are ok? So the 30 people coming to mine this evening are ok because we are all members of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster or Pastafarians, celebrating our holy day.
@NotMyIreland:
No they’re not ok, it clearly states that
@dublinguide.ie: There’s nothing clear. That’s seems to be the reason for the discussion
@dublinguide.ie: yeah but for religious reasons I couldn’t get prosecuted
@NotMyIreland: Jah …Pastafari
Why is the dept of health commented on what should be judicial matters?
I say bring back the Mass Rock Services might be cold but worth it..
There are a lot of people who miss the services of Mass..
@Sportmad: Changing bread into a Body and Wine into Blood. It’s a Good Show.
Any priest or other cleric that holds mass or service during the current restrictions, is clearly demonstrating a complete disregard for the safety of their local community.
Whether they can or should bend or fudge the measures in place to hold such gatherings isn’t a question of legal clarity, it’s a matter of moral duty and obligation to prevent the spread of covid19 within their communities.
@David Van-Standen: David, That’s nonsense, even as a non mass goer, i can sympathize with those who want mass and are being denied access to their faith, if distancing can be enforced what difference is people gathering in a church, over gathering in a supermarket??
@Michael Byrne: if their faith resides in the walls of a church and not their heart/soul/mind, then yes they have been denied access, and rightfully so. If they need to listen to a papi, they can do so online. Drink your wine and eat your bread at home. Offer your peace in spirit, not in touch. Completely agree that churches can stay shut to the public for a few weeks. It is not an essential service, since religion resides within us, not churches.
What what would you do if the church is packed to capacity and not all who want to enter can get in? If god resides in the church then who is the authorised person to say that the ones outside the church doors are not worthy enough to enter the mass but others are? Better to have no ceremony, than a ceremony for some and not all.
@Michael Byrne: so you don’t believe that priests have a duty of care for their congregations and a responsibility to protect them from a known public health threat during a pandemic?
Practising faith doesn’t require a physical place if you believe your God is omnipresent does it?
If people want to observe the ritual of a mass the tools are available to do so online and accessible to anyone with a internet connected device or phone.
On supermarkets verses church, for engaging with the supermarket of their choice, many people are using technology to order shopping and have it delivered, but others are still physically going to shops to get food, because these are the options.
Engaging with your God of choice doesn’t require either a delivery service or a franchised outlet…
OK.
Did any priest celebrate Mass? None named. So what is this all about? The usual sneering from modern heroes who specialize in insulting old people and priests.
Lock them up
Leo Martin OUT Mary Lou IN
The big churches in Ireland are probably only at about 5% of their capacity on a normal Sunday anyway, you would be hard pressed to find anyone under 60 at a normal Sunday service these days so just let them use social distancing and masks, and as the Catholic Church has so much land and property that they have no use for anymore maybe they should sell this land and properties and give the money they owe to the victims of their past atrocities
@Darren Callaghan: how do you know how many attend when you dont. The Church I go to mass in, or did before the lock down had a very large crowd attending mass. So speak when you know what you are talking about.
Well they weren’t arrested when they were screwing kids so what’s new!
@Bramer:
Pavlovian response. Say the word ‘priest’ and here we go again.
Only God Almighty can judge thee…. :D
Wow… so my comment was removed… this is what that feels like….
I didn’t name anyone or call out any “fake information”
@thomas patrick: no way?? I do not actually know what was wrong with it, its a fact they haven’t been convicted?!
have your say