Fianna Fail senators confirm attendance at Clifden event

(Above) Senator Aidan Davitt.

Two local Fianna Fail senators have issued apologies for attending the Oireachtas Golf Society event in a Galway hotel this week.

Senators Paul Daly and Aidan Davitt have both confirmed that they were in attendance at the event in Clifden's Station House Hotel on Wednesday night, which was attended by 81 people.

The event, which was attended by senior figures past and present in both government parties, including Fianna Fail's vice president Donie Cassidy from Castlepollard, was apparently in breach of the new Covid-19 restrictions introduced the day before.

Earlier this morning Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary resigned as Minister of Agriculture for attending the event, while another attendee Fine Gael's Jerry Buttimer has resigned as the Leas Cathaoirleach of the Seanad.

Senator Daly, who is Fianna Fáil's chief whip in the Seanad, issued a statement earlier this morning in which he described his attendance as a “serious lapse of judgement”.

“I attended the event in the Station House Hotel, Clifden. With the changes to public health advice I should not have done so. As a public representative it was a serious lapse of judgement on my part and I am truly sorry. I apologise unreservedly for the upset I have caused,” he said.

Senator Davitt also issued a statement this morning in which he “apologised unreservedly” for his attendance at the event on Wednesday night.

“I apologise unreservedly for attending a function in Clifden following a golf event in Connemara last Wednesday. In light of the updated public health advice issued on Tuesday,I should not have attended this dinner. I genuinely apologise unreservedly for this error of judgement.”

It had been reported that local Fianna Fáil councillor John Shaw had attended the event, but he has tweeted that he was not there.

The event was also attended by European Commissioner Phil Hogan, former Fine Gael TD and MEP Brian Hayes, who is now the CEO of Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, and RTÉ's Sean O'Rourke.

An Garda Siochana has confirmed that it is investigating whether the event was in breach of the Covid 19 restrictions.

See next Tuesday's Westmeath Examiner for more on the story.