Opposition parties welcome resignation of Phil Hogan

Opposition parties have welcomed the resignation of EU commissioner Phil Hogan and have called on the Government to immediately fill the vacancy.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that Mr Hogan had “bowed to the inevitable” when he stepped down.

“This entire debacle has upset a lot of people and has not been good for public confidence in politics or the State’s response to Covid-19,” she said.

"Events in Clifden unfolded after weeks of Government chaos and controversy. It was the last straw. We now need to focus on the issues that really matter in people's daily lives; getting schools reopened successfully, rebuilding the economy and getting people back to work and building capacity in health service."

From Kilkenny to Brussels and Clifden: The rise and fall of ‘Big Phil’ Hogan

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After the golf dinner, who will replace Hogan as Ireland’s commissioner?

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Q&A: Why Phil Hogan came under pressure to resign

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Who attended the golf dinner and what has happened to them since?

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Labour Party leader Alan Kelly said Mr Hogan's resignation was "welcome but overdue."

“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,” he said.

"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 now move quickly to fill the vacancy that now arises in the EU Commission at what is a critical moment for Ireland, " he added.

Mr Kelly said that the Irish nominee for the vacancy 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 they must break with tradition and consider a person from outside the party political system.”

Irish Green MEPs also welcomed Mr Hogan’s decision to step down.

Ciarán Cuffe, Green Party MEP for Dublin, said his resignation was “necessary to rebuild the public’s confidence in the measures and guidance put in place to protect citizens from Covid-19.

“The Irish public has made huge sacrifices to comply with health guidelines and it is important that public figures respect these rules too. President Ursula von der Leyen has done the right thing by holding Mr Hogan to account for his actions.”