Four people, including two politicians, expected to be charged over allegedly organising infamous Golfgate dinner
Updated: 17 Feb 2021, 18:54
FOUR people, including two politicians, who allegedly organised the infamous Golgate dinner last year are expected to be charged with breaches of Covid-19 regulations.
The prosecutions are understood to include Galway West independent TD Noel Grealish, then-captain of Oireachtas Golf Society, and its president ex-Fianna Fail TD Donie Cassidy.
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The bash took place at the Station House Hotel in Clifden, Co GalwayCredit: PA:Press Association
Gardai launched an investigation on August 19 last year into the alleged breaches and a file was forwarded to the DPP last month.
The investigation centred on whether more than 50 people attended the event.
The 80 guests at the dinner were split into separate partitioned areas in order to be categorised as separate gatherings, which was permitted at the time.
However, gardaí investigated both the organisers of the golf event dinner in Galway and management at the Station House Hotel in Clifden.
Several of the politicians who attended the event were also interviewed by gardaí.
The political fallout from the event led to the resignation of then agriculture minister Dara Calleary and six Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Senators losing the party whip.
Former Fianna Fáil TD Donie Cassidy
A Garda spokesman confirmed: “An Garda Síochána has received directions from the DPP in relation to the prosecution of four individuals for organising an event in contravention of health regulations at a commercial premises in Galway in August 2020. Summons have been lodged with the Courts and District Court dates in relation to each of the individuals are awaited. An Garda Síochána will not be commenting further.
The health regulations in question are Section 31A(6)(a) and (12) of the Health Act 1947 (as amended by Section 10 of the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020.
FINE Gael has readmitted three senators who were stripped of the party whip over their attendance at the infamous Oireachtas Golf Society in Clifden last August.
Fine Gael s Jerry Buttimer, Paddy Burke and John Cummins were told today they are having the whip restored after they were, in effect, expelled from the parliamentary party last August.
The decision was unanimously approved by the Fine Gael parliamentary party at a meeting this afternoon following a proposal by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.
Mr Varadkar told the meeting “nobody should be punished forever” and there was never a right time to do these things.