Golfgate: Multiple public figures breach COVID-19 restrictions

And Buttimer.

seamus

More fool me, but I am genuinely stunned that these people are so out of touch that they thought attending a large gathering was a good idea.

Even if the venue had managed to find a loophole that would technically allow the event to take place within the restrictions, any politician with an ounce of cop-on would have realised how bad it would look to go to a large dinner immediately after their own government had announced serious restrictions on gatherings.

I'm just shaking my head. I can't decide if it's arrogance or immense stupidity that led Calleary and Buttimer (and Jaysus knows who else) to this.

Only one other current Oireachtas member, Grealish, who is not in Government but would vote with them nearly all the time.

Phil Hogan is the most embarrassing of the rest.

seamus

L1011 wrote: »

Only one other current Oireachtas member, Grealish, who is not in Government but would vote with them nearly all the time.

Phil Hogan is the most embarrassing of the rest.

Dunno, just saw a shot of the guest list, and there are a lot of names in there who should have known better. Brian Hayes might not technically be a politician any more, but he's the head of the BPI, which is effectively a political lobby group.

This one is going to run and run; who thought that it would be a good idea for the official Oireachtas Golf Society to have a dinner during these restrictions? Whatever if this was some local or business golf society, but this was the official Dail society, probably with a state-paid civil servant doing all the secretarial work for it. There were so many people here who should have called a halt to this and didn't.

I'd say Micháel is properly on the warpath today. He now has to come out and explain why this went ahead without it sounding like his government are asleep at the wheel.

Seamus Woulfe supreme court judge was in attendance.

Was there not a prevous scandal about a recently appointed supreme court judge bringing down a government?

Incidentally, Dick Spring was there at that dinner. Ironic or what?

I see Woulfe has appologised for attending the dinner. I wonder if that is enough.

Podge_irl

Sam Russell wrote: »

Seamus Woulfe supreme court judge was in attendance.

Was there not a prevous scandal about a recently appointed supreme court judge bringing down a government?

Incidentally, Dick Spring was there at that dinner. Ironic or what?

I see Woulfe has appologised for attending the dinner. I wonder if that is enough.

You would suspect the presence of actual members of government would relegate a SC justice being there in importance. I imagine it specifically won't be much additional trouble.

Spectacular stupidity all round though.

[Deleted User]

Thre is another aspect of the event attended by 'well off aul lad' as one the COVID experts called them this morning.

How many women were at the event anyone knows?

The mix of ex media, judges, politicians which smacks of an elite, sidebar deals that never come to light, glad handling, movers and shakers.

In complete contrast to an open and transparent government.

The lack of understanding that times have moved on.

Itssoeasy

Sam Russell wrote: »

Seamus Woulfe supreme court judge was in attendance.

Was there not a prevous scandal about a recently appointed supreme court judge bringing down a government?

Incidentally, Dick Spring was there at that dinner. Ironic or what?

I see Woulfe has appologised for attending the dinner. I wonder if that is enough.

It was Brendan smith case and the AG that balls up that government of which dick spring was the tanaiste of. The AG wasn’t as forthcoming as he should have been about a section of an act and its use prior to the above case when there were multiple examples of that section being used.

mariaalice wrote: »

Thre is another aspect of the event attended by 'well off aul lad' as one the COVID experts called them this morning.

How many women were at the event anyone knows?

The mix of ex media, judges, politicians which smacks of an elite, sidebar deals that never come to light, glad handling, movers and shakers.

In complete contrast to an open and transparent government.

The lack of understanding that times have moved on.

Ex-FF TD Aine Brady (nee Kitt) was there anyway, with her ex-FF TD husband.

Sam Russell wrote: »

Seamus Woulfe supreme court judge was in attendance.

Was there not a prevous scandal about a recently appointed supreme court judge bringing down a government?

Incidentally, Dick Spring was there at that dinner. Ironic or what?

I see Woulfe has appologised for attending the dinner. I wonder if that is enough.

I didn’t see spring name on the table plans that were shared .. are you sure he was there.. btw not condoning the event but also we should be fair to those that may not have attended..

Bellview wrote: »

I didn’t see spring name on the table plans that were shared .. are you sure he was there.. btw not condoning the event but also we should be fair to those that may not have attended..

It was reported on RTE radio that he was there - perhaps he was not.

Sam Russell wrote: »

It was reported on RTE radio that he was there - perhaps he was not.

Just saw indo today he wasn’t as they have named the politician and former politicians by table .. what I heard reported was he is an honorary member Of the golf society but did not attend .. There are Fake news social media posts naming politicians that were not there .. but like Coventry one that say his wife is niece of Larry etc ..

Sam Russell wrote: »

It was reported on RTE radio that he was there - perhaps he was not.

Bellview wrote: »

Just saw indo today he wasn’t as they have named the politician and former politicians by table .. what I heard reported was he is an honorary member Of the golf society but did not attend .. There are Fake news social media posts naming politicians that were not there .. but like Coventry one that say his wife is niece of Larry etc ..

I assumed RTE had their facts correct. Obviously they had not.

Sam Russell wrote: »

I assumed RTE had their facts correct. Obviously they had not.

They have got it wrong a few tones before

The seating plan had a few "Name&Spouse + 8" type entries which means not every attendee is listed.

beggars_bush

Surely all atendees had to provide contact tracing details?

beggars_bush wrote: »

Surely all atendees had to provide contact tracing details?

They would have had to but it's also not public information

L1011 wrote: »

The seating plan had a few "Name&Spouse + 8" type entries which means not every attendee is listed.

Agreed but the indo only named all people of public interest.. judges politicians.. the dinner was a display of arrogance but also only the lads and ladies that attended should get hammered .. Not those that did not join

L1011 wrote: »

The seating plan had a few "Name&Spouse + 8" type entries which means not every attendee is listed.

If Big Phil is sacked by UvdL (I cannot see him resigning), who goes out to replace him?

They wanted a woman last year so I'd expect they'll still want a woman, and with no incumbent that shouldn't be an issue. There are plenty of good candidates, but...

1: Sending a current TD is suicide as the Government will lose the by-election to SF. Unless its a very specific constituency with a strong candidate from another party and no obvious SF candidate (Kildare South comes to mind); but even in those they're going to lose to the opposition
2: Sending an ex-TD who lost her seat in February would go down like a lead balloon
3: Sending a panel Senator could easily result in a lost seat and I think all the female Govt party ones are all 2020 ex-TDs anyway; sending a nominated Senator would be even worse in terms of being accused of croneyism.
4: Sending someone who is very long term retired would not look good either
5: Whoever it is has to be close enough to a Govt party and not have fallen out with them. I'd include PDs in this as they were in Govt with FF and many moved to FG in the end

Thinking of options and there's really not many I can think of once you've excluded all... Liz O'Donnell? Lucinda? (that wouldn't go down well in FG or that well outside I'd think)

Assuming no portfolio re-shuffle, appointing someone entirely outside politics with experience in the field could work and could easily be spun as "putting it above politics" or similar; but who would be willing to be reefed out of a probably better paying job to do it?

L1011 wrote: »

If Big Phil is sacked by UvdL (I cannot see him resigning), who goes out to replace him?

They wanted a woman last year so I'd expect they'll still want a woman, and with no incumbent that shouldn't be an issue. There are plenty of good candidates, but...

1: Sending a current TD is suicide as the Government will lose the by-election to SF. Unless its a very specific constituency with a strong candidate from another party and no obvious SF candidate (Kildare South comes to mind); but even in those they're going to lose to the opposition
2: Sending an ex-TD who lost her seat in February would go down like a lead balloon
3: Sending a panel Senator could easily result in a lost seat and I think all the female Govt party ones are all 2020 ex-TDs anyway; sending a nominated Senator would be even worse in terms of being accused of croneyism.
4: Sending someone who is very long term retired would not look good either
5: Whoever it is has to be close enough to a Govt party and not have fallen out with them. I'd include PDs in this as they were in Govt with FF and many moved to FG in the end

Thinking of options and there's really not many I can think of once you've excluded all... Liz O'Donnell? Lucinda? (that wouldn't go down well in FG or that well outside I'd think)

Assuming no portfolio re-shuffle, appointing someone entirely outside politics with experience in the field could work and could easily be spun as "putting it above politics" or similar; but who would be willing to be reefed out of a probably better paying job to do it?

Mairead McGuinness

Sam Russell wrote: »

Mairead McGuinness

Don't think she'd want it - sideways move at best.

Gabby McFadden gets the MEP seat if she did leave I believe.

Itssoeasy

It’ll be interesting to see who is the new agriculture minister when we get a new one.

Itssoeasy wrote: »

It’ll be interesting to see who is the new agriculture minister when we get a new one.

FF, West and (relatively) Young is likely to be the requirement - Anne Rabbite or Marc MacSharry

James Lawless would probably be next in line for a different FF ministry if one came up and if they need to do a reshuffle of the deckchairs when the Taoiseach swaps he'll probably get one then.

WishUWereHere

L1011 wrote: »

FF, West and (relatively) Young is likely to be the requirement - Anne Rabbite or Marc MacSharry

James Lawless would probably be next in line for a different FF ministry if one came up and if they need to do a reshuffle of the deckchairs when the Taoiseach swaps he'll probably get one then.

Speaking of JL, You are in His constituency L, is he any good? Been hearing him being interviewed a lot recently.

Looking forward to tomorrow's radio current affairs programmes...should be interesting to say the least.

Any way of tempting Vincent Browne out of retirement? Clifdengate would be manna from Heaven to Vinny lol

L1011 wrote: »

Sam Russell wrote: »

Mairead McGuinness

Don't think she'd want it - sideways move at best.

Gabby McFadden gets the MEP seat if she did leave I believe.

Not at all. Commissioner is a much better gig than she has currently. Also, she could handle the trade post - she is able, well thought of, and knows her way around Brussels (and Strasbourg).

I think she would be a good choice - if one is needed.

I doubt Phil will go - he wont resign, and I doubt Von Der Leyden could (or would) sack him.

If he does go, Woulfe has to go as well, but he should go anyway. How do you justify a Supreme Court Judge attending a political gathering anyway.

Podge_irl

Suspect if Hogan goes (and he won't anyway) that his replacement wouldn't be getting the Trade role.

Itssoeasy

Podge_irl wrote: »

Suspect if Hogan goes (and he won't anyway) that his replacement wouldn't be getting the Trade role.

You see that’s the thing that needs to be remembered here. We are not guaranteed the trade role and trade is very important and is it worth the risk ?