FOUR PEOPLE ARE to face prosecution over alleged breaches of Covid-19 regulations over the infamous Golfgate dinner.

On 19 August last year, 81 people attended a dinner in a Clifden hotel, Co Galway as part of an Oireachtas Golf Society event. 

A file in relation to the political controversy – where elected representatives, former politicians, and a judge were accused of breaching the Covid-19 restrictions by attending the event – was forwarded to the DPP last month by gardaí.  

In a statement today, gardaí said: “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.”

A garda spokesperson said there would be no further comment on the matter.

Among those who attended the Golfgate dinner were then-Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary, then-EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan, Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe, former RTÉ presenter Sean O’Rourke, and a number of senators. 

Calleary resigned immediately from his role, and Hogan resigned later following increasing scrutiny of his whereabouts and actions.

On 21 August, An Garda Síochána said it would probe alleged breaches of The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A-Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No.3) Regulations 2020.

Under these regulations referenced by Gardaí, the law states that: “A person shall not organise, or cause to be organised, an event for cultural, entertainment, recreational, sporting, social, community or educational reasons in a relevant geographical location other than where one or more of the following applies:

(a) in the case of an indoor event, the maximum number of persons attending, or proposed to attend, the event (for whatever reason) does not exceed 50 persons.