Minister for Agriculture attends 81-person golf event in breach of health guidelines

jmayo · 25-08-2020 01:50PM

fenris wrote: »

Maybe Leo has his eye on the commissioner role, so that he can go onwards and upwards while leaving the other two behind to clean up the mess in between naps?

This is exactly why I don't want Hogan to go.
That sniveling snake Varadkar has his own plans.

FFS it was rumoured earlier in the summer that Varadkar's sleeveen in chief Murphy would be next commissioner.
Either that or Bruton who couldn't organise a p**s up in a brewery never mind a hotel in Cliften.
Maybe Varadkar himself now that he knows ultimately his goose is cooked here.

Long term we may be shooting ourselves in the fecking feet in order to assuage our thirst for blood.
Hogan is Commissioner for Trade and pivotal in Brexit trade talks.
The replacement Irish commissioner will probably be in one of the mickie mouse commission placements like Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management or Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.

Wippee we get rid of a FGer and show them how great we are and then we get to see someone from France or Germany decide how all our trade with Britain is handled from now on.

Hogan might not do anything for us, no one might be able to, but at least he is in the fooking room.

Oops! · 25-08-2020 01:54PM

Pull your head out of the sand....

Loafing Oaf · 25-08-2020 01:57PM

Cute Hoor wrote: »

Having to publish a log of all his movements around the country is obviously a huge issue for Hogan,

Well yeah, if he had to log every visit to Dunkin Donuts Ursula could be waiting a while...

blackwhite · 25-08-2020 02:01PM

Muahahaha wrote: »

yeah also Ursula seems to be saying he needs to go before the media and do an interview. So far he has issued six statements about his movements and correcting his previous lies but he has refused an interview despite all the radio and tv stations trying. Clearly Phil has been dodging an interview for fear he would get caught out red handed in yet another lie.

I wonder who Phil might want to interview him. Catriona Perry gave Michael Martin a soft interview last Friday, she didnt even ask when he knew about the golf piss up so maybe she would be a favoured candidate for the job.

It would be highly unusual for a Commissioner to be sacked over domestic issues. I get the impression that Ursula is trying to give Hogan enough rope to hang himself. Getting caught lying to her, or using a Commission spokesperson to put out false statements, would allow her to claim he had breached her trust and sack him on that basis.

The Commission has always been very resistant of allowing domestic pressures come to bear on the Commission, hence she wouldn't appear to be setting a precedent if she had an EU-level offence to sack him for.

Barbeapapa · 25-08-2020 02:06PM

Is there any reason why Phil Hogan would break form and start telling the truth at this stage?

He seems to have a loose relationship with facts and truth and with being straightforward so I'm not sure I would believe him if he told me today is Tuesday.

I imagine he has just published a 20 page novel for his boss.

Edgware · 25-08-2020 02:07PM

Cute Hoor wrote: »

I think I heard somewhere this morning that she wanted Hogan to provide her with a detailed report, including a log of all his movements around the country over the relevant period, and that she wanted that log published – smart lady Ursula.

Having to publish a log of all his movements around the country is obviously a huge issue for Hogan, any porkies will become immediately obvious to anybody who came in contact with him during the period. Phil issuing a report of any description without including porkies must be a real challenge to him.

"a log of all his movements" Ooooh Matron!

Cute Hoor · 25-08-2020 02:22PM

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Well yeah, if he had to log every visit to Dunkin Donuts Ursula could be waiting a while...

Well he could have logged his trip to Adare Manor and Dunraven Arms, tisn't easy rememberin all these places you've been

Cute Hoor · 25-08-2020 02:24PM

Barbeapapa wrote: »

Is there any reason why Phil Hogan would break form and start telling the truth at this stage?

He seems to have a loose relationship with facts and truth and with being straightforward so I'm not sure I would believe him if he told me today is Tuesday.

I imagine he has just published a 20 page novel for his boss.

I don't think so, it would be a real challenge for him, it now looks that he pretty much did a tour of the country

the purple tin · 25-08-2020 02:25PM

Cute Hoor wrote: »

Well he could have logged his trip to Adare Manor and Dunraven Arms, tisn't easy rememberin all these places you've been

Phil would have a brand new merc or beemer I assume with onboard GPS. Could he not access the car's computer and see where he has been and when.

Gooey Looey · 25-08-2020 02:26PM

the purple tin wrote: »

Phil would have a brand new merc or beemer I assume with onboard GPS. Could he not access the car's computer and see where he has been and when.

His phone would even tell him, mine does

Cute Hoor · 25-08-2020 02:26PM

the purple tin wrote: »

Phil would have a brand new merc or beemer I assume with onboard GPS. Could he not access the car's computer and see where he has been and when.

The next statement (with the Adare bit) will be the ninth from Phil

the purple tin · 25-08-2020 02:30PM

Cute Hoor wrote: »

The next statement (with the Adare bit) will be the ninth from Phil

At what stage do you stop digging yourself into a hole, throw up your hands and just lay all your cards on the table.
I suppose if you are a politician the answer is never.

golfball37 · 25-08-2020 02:31PM

Tourism industry on its knees and the best the media can do is vilify a citizen who lives abroad for the crime of supporting various Irish businesses.

ohnonotgmail · 25-08-2020 02:33PM

golfball37 wrote: »

Tourism industry on its knees and the best the media can do is vilify a citizen who lives abroad for the crime of supporting various Irish businesses.

yeah that is what is happening. Jesus.

OMM 0000 · 25-08-2020 02:34PM

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

How did we let these clowns (FF) back into power so soon after the last mess? Self serving gombeen arseholes.

The average person is stupid.

Cute Hoor · 25-08-2020 02:36PM

I suspect that the Examiner has had all of these little titbits in their locker for a while, they just wait for Hogan's latest statement and then release the next bit.

josip · 25-08-2020 02:41PM

Edgware wrote: »

"a log of all his movements" Ooooh Matron!

At least it's not all his log movements.

maestroamado · 25-08-2020 02:44PM

blackwhite wrote: »

It would be highly unusual for a Commissioner to be sacked over domestic issues. I get the impression that Ursula is trying to give Hogan enough rope to hang himself. Getting caught lying to her, or using a Commission spokesperson to put out false statements, would allow her to claim he had breached her trust and sack him on that basis.

The Commission has always been very resistant of allowing domestic pressures come to bear on the Commission, hence she wouldn't appear to be setting a precedent if she had an EU-level offence to sack him for.

I agree as i thought that she was looking for more info to possibly keep Phil on board. I now think she ticking the boxes to avoid getting involved in legal stuff.
If she fires him the Government here can continue on as is if we let them.
If she keeps Phil on board our Government descredited and we likely have an Election when things settle with Covid.
I expet we know today...

ShamNNspace · 25-08-2020 02:48PM

Trouble is if she sacks him it'll likely end up in the courts, the last commissioner sacked still has a case going through the courts

ohnonotgmail · 25-08-2020 02:51PM

Hogan has published his timeline

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2020/0825/1161161-phil-hogan/?utm_source=xtremepush&utm_medium=webpush&utm_campaign=EU+Commissioner+Phil+Hogan+publishes+timeline+of+his+movements+in+Ireland+and+reveals+golf+outing+in+Limerick+on+13+August+%28xtremepush+%2333464817%29&utm_term=notification+%23328030066_1188988837&utm_content=A

maestroamado · 25-08-2020 02:52PM

ShamNNspace wrote: »

Trouble is if she sacks him it'll likely end up in the courts, the last commissioner sacked still has a case going through the courts

That's also my view but me thinks she wants Phil gone and wants to tick the boxes...

I assume he owns the place in Kildare, i wonder was he there alone as this be very important.
I would not have a problem with someone going to another property they own to collect something.
I am assuming he own both properties and get in car, drive there without leaving car collect and return.
No interaction no problem...

seamus · 25-08-2020 02:53PM

Here's the full log published: https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2020/0825/1161161-phil-hogan/

31 July – I arrived in Ireland, completed the statutory Passenger Locator Form and travelled to my temporary residence in Co Kildare.

5 August - I was admitted to a Dublin hospital for a medical procedure.

While in hospital, I tested negative for Covid-19 (www.citizensinformation.ie confirms that a negative test result ends the self-restriction period).

6 August - I was discharged from hospital and returned briefly to my temporary residence in Co Kildare.

7 August – I travelled to Kilkenny before the local lockdown rules came into effect at midnight in Co Kildare (and neighbouring counties Laois and Offaly).

12 August - I travelled to Dublin from Kilkenny for essential work reasons, which required my attendance at the European Commission office. While in Dublin, I also had separate meetings with the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and with Minister Robert Troy, to brief them on events relating to ongoing negotiations with the U.S.

13 August – I played golf in Adare, Co Limerick and returned to Kilkenny.

17 August – I travelled from Co Kilkenny to Co Galway via Co Kildare. I stopped briefly in Co Kildare at the property in which I had been staying for the purpose of collecting some personal belongings and essential papers relating to the ongoing negotiations with the USTR, Robert Lighthizer, which continued while I was in Co Galway. This culminated in an agreement on a package of tariff reductions on 21 August.

18 August – I played golf in Co Galway, staying in Clifden. (no formal dinner or reception).

19 August – I played golf in Clifden, and subsequently attended a formal dinner for which I have since apologised.

21 August – I returned from Galway to my temporary residence in Co Kildare to collect my remaining personal belongings, including my passport, and stayed there overnight to catch an early morning flight to my primary residence in Brussels from the nearby airport.

22 August – I returned to Brussels.

Now, which journalist has the next bit of information to contradict this.

Edit: Actually, he seems to have erred on the negative test. This doesn't relieve him from the requirement to self-restrict. That smells like someone desperately trying to retroactively justify his behaviour.

blackwhite · 25-08-2020 02:57PM

maestroamado wrote: »

I agree as i thought that she was looking for more info to possibly keep Phil on board. I now think she ticking the boxes to avoid getting involved in legal stuff.
If she fires him the Government here can continue on as is if we let them.
If she keeps Phil on board our Government descredited and we likely have an Election when things settle with Covid.
I expet we know today...

Van der Leyden isn't going to care as to whether the Government here is discredited or not (and equally well, given they no longer have any authority over Hogan there's not much of his actions they can be blamed for at this stage).

The bigger issue she needs to consider is the perception of the EU in general, and the Commission in particular.

Brexit, and the similar anti-EU movements in other countries, have pushed the image of unaccountable bureaucrats and bigwigs who do and say what they want. If there's no consequences for Hogan from this, then that message is all the easier for Euro-sceptics to push.
Van de Leyden has to be conscious of that.

ShamNNspace · 25-08-2020 03:02PM

maestroamado wrote: »

That's also my view but me thinks she wants Phil gone and wants to tick the boxes...

Imv quite a few of these commissioners no matter what nationality are slippery characters in that the domestic government want to shuttle them off to Brussels mostly for a reason, necks as thick as asses collars the majority of em

Cute Hoor · 25-08-2020 03:12PM

12 August - I travelled to Dublin from Kilkenny for essential work reasons, which required my attendance at the European Commission office. While in Dublin, I also had separate meetings with the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and with Minister Robert Troy, to brief them on events relating to ongoing negotiations with the U.S. I forget to mention that I travelled to Adare and stayed at the Dunraven Arms

blackwhite · 25-08-2020 03:36PM

seamus wrote: »

7 August – I travelled to Kilkenny before the local lockdown rules came into effect at midnight in Co Kildare (and neighbouring counties Laois and Offaly).

This bit reeks of getting out of Kildare after the lockdown was announced, but before it came into effect

Whilst strictly not a breach of the regulations, it's very clearly intended as exploiting a loophole.

Edgware · 25-08-2020 03:38PM

golfball37 wrote: »

Tourism industry on its knees and the best the media can do is vilify a citizen who lives abroad for the crime of supporting various Irish businesses.

The main crime is he thinking that the Irish people are fools and that he can do what he wants

seamus · 25-08-2020 03:39PM

blackwhite wrote: »

This bit reeks of getting out of Kildare after the lockdown was announced, but before it came into effect

Whilst strictly not a breach of the regulations, it's very clearly intended as exploiting a loophole.

Probably a stretch though, and he wouldn't be alone. I know someone who left Kildare on the 7th to stay in their mobile home, and has been commuting INTO Kildare to go to work ever since.

A breach of the spirit of the restrictions, but not an actual breach of them.

blackwhite · 25-08-2020 03:47PM

seamus wrote: »

Probably a stretch though, and he wouldn't be alone. I know someone who left Kildare on the 7th to stay in their mobile home, and has been commuting INTO Kildare to go to work ever since.

A breach of the spirit of the restrictions, but not an actual breach of them.

We were heading to visit relatives in the SE that Friday evening. Some amount of KE cars on the road

ChikiChiki · 25-08-2020 03:49PM

blackwhite wrote: »

We were heading to visit relatives in the SE that Friday evening. Some amount of KE cars on the road

Newsflash.... Just because someone drives a KE car doesn't mean they live there.

Minister for Agriculture attends 81-person golf event in breach of health guidelines

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