The EU Commissioner for Trade, Phil Hogan, released a statement announcing his resignation over his recent trip to Ireland in which he visited a well-attended social event, seen by his peers as a regrettable breach coronavirus restrictions.
"This evening I have tendered my resignation as EU Trade Commissioner to the President of the European Commission, Dr Ursula von der Leyen. It was becoming increasingly clear that the controversy concerning my recent visit to Ireland was becoming a distraction from my work as an EU Commissioner and would undermine my work in the key months ahead. I deeply regret that my trip to Ireland – the country that I have been so proud to represent as a public servant for most of my adult life - caused such concern, unease and upset", according to the statement.
Hogan stated that he "fully appreciates and recognises" the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, and apologised for "mistakes" he made during his visit to Ireland.
His statement also praised the role of the European Union "at a time when the global economy faces significant challenges and turbulences", outlining his belief that "Ireland's destiny is deeply European, and that our small, proud, open nation will continue to play an inspiring and proactive role at the heart of the EU".
Hogan's resignation came after he faced intense backlash over his visit to Ireland last week, in which he attended an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner shortly after Cabinet members implemented strict COVID-19 restrictions prohibiting any outdoor social gathering involving over six people.
Initially, Hogan rejected the calls to step down, offering only a slight apology for “any distress caused” and insisting that he was assured that the dinner met Dublin's coronavirus guidelines. However, both Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin and Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar demanded an explanation from Hogan and, according to RTE Radio, said that "if he can't do that, then he needs to consider his position".
