Mayo call for Dara Calleary's reinstatement as government minister
A long-serving elected member of the Fianna Fáil party in Mayo has called for the reinstatement of Deputy Dara Calleary as a senior government minister.
Councillor Al McDonnell said there is an onus on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to do so in the aftermath of yesterday's ruling by Galway District Court Judge Mary Fahy to dismiss charges against four men accused of organising an Oireachtas Society Golf dinner in a Clifden hotel two years ago.
Independent TD Noel Grealish, former Fianna Fail senator Donie Cassidy, John Sweeney, owner of the Station House Hotel in Clifden, and his son James, the general manager of the hotel, all faced charges in relation to an Oireachtas Golf Society event in August 2020.
Speaking at the end of a three-day trial at Galway District Court, Judge Fahy stated: “I’m satisfied the organisers did everything to comply – not in a court of public opinion – but in the court of law, in my opinion.
“Unfortunately, very good people lost very good jobs and very good contracts and, just to clarify, I didn’t make my decision based on that.
“I’m dismissing the charges against all four defendants.”
After being initially overlooked for a cabinet post by the Taoiseach after the formation of the government on June 27, 2020, Deputy Calleary was appointed Minister for Agriculture on July 15 of that year in the aftermath of Barry Cowen TD leaving the position after it emerged he had had a drink-driving ban.
However, Calleary resigned from the role 35 days later - on August 21 - after apologising unreservedly for his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society function in Cliften Hotel in breach of Covid restrictions at that time.
He also stepped down as deputy leader and national secretary of the party a number of days later.
Now Councillor Al McDonnell said the outcome of the court case has revealed that the circumstances in which the Mayo TD was forced to resign were not justified.
The Moorehall-based representative said: "There was extraordinary pressure brought to bear on Dara Calleary at the time and his career suffered as a result.
"His resignation from the cabinet was a major blow to him and his family. Now we know his attendance at the event did not breach the Covid restrictions in place at that time.
"I have sent a text to him congratulating him on his total exoneration of blame and wrongdoing attributed to him back in 2020."
Deputy Calleary stated at the time of his resignation that the reason he attended the Clifden event was because he had committed a number of weeks earlier to attending in order to pay tribute to a person he respected and admired greatly.