From top: Mick Barry, Paul Reid, Dr Colm Henry and Michael McNamara

This morning.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response.

Solidarity/People Before Profit TD Mick Barry raised Phil Hogan and his Golfgate movements with the expert panel…

Mick Barry: “I have some questions for Mr [Paul] Reid. I do want to ask some questions about the situation with schools but before I do, I’m going to ask some questions about quarantine? The European Commissioner travelled to this state from a non-green list country. He has justified breaking the 14-day quarantine on the grounds of having had a negative Covid test. Now I think the answer to this question is probably fairly obvious but I think it’s important that we hear from the chief of the HSE. So the question is: Did he break HSE guidelines by doing so?”

Paul Reid, CEO HSE: “Deputy just to come back very briefly, I might ask my colleague Dr Colm Henry just on the specific guidelines. Just to say, obviously, he’s a public servant. I’m not going to encroach into the area of any kind of political comment. What I will say is our guidelines and guidance are very clear both on the HSE site and indeed there is more in-depth guidance on the HPSC site – that would be the go-to site in terms of information both in terms of travel and both in terms of testing and testing negative and it’s very clear on the site. So I just ask Dr Henry to clarify it.”

Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer, HSE: “Thank you, deputy, the advice… is clear in this regard. People coming to Ireland from non-green list countries restrict their movements for 14 days, irrespective of tests performed either abroad or here.”

Later (after Mr Barry attempted to raise an article in The Irish Times  about two women having seen Mr Hogan at the K Club. One of the women told the newspaper that she saw Mr Hogan having dinner at the K Club on the night of Friday, July 31.  Mr Hogan has claimed he flew into Ireland on July 31 and self-isolated until August 5. In response to his attempt chair of the committee Michael McNamara told Mr Barry to stay within the committee’s terms of reference.).

Barry: “Let me put it this way, if someone were to be staying in a complex, a hotel complex with apartments within a timeframe of a 14-day quarantine and they were to stay at that complex but to dine in a public restaurant and other public places within that complex. Would that constitute a breach of the 14-day quarantine?”

Chairman Michael McNamara: “I don’t really think it’s fair to say that we’re talking in generalities here because we’re not from your first question and I return…I’m happy…if this is within the terms of reference I’m happy to have it discussed but I’m very keen to remain within our terms of reference, Deputy Barry.”

Barry: “Chair, I would like an answer to the question. I’m not naming any individual. I’m saying that if someone were to be within a hotel complex or an apartment, within a 14-day quarantine…”

McNamara: “You’re asking this question in the context of a political controversy that’s ongoing. It is.”

Reid: “All of our guidance is on our site. I’m happy to circulate it again to the committee but it’s very clear on the site.”

McNamara: “Where it is on the site…because, I mean, I, at one point, went to find it and I found it remarkably difficult to find the guidance. I’m not suggesting for a moment it’s not on your site but where is it? Because the guidance does change as the medical advice changes in response to what is a changing scenario. Where is it available on the HSE website? I’m conscious of the fact Deputy Barry has two minutes left. Maybe I’ll come back to that and let Deputy Barry, let him finish his time…”

Earlier: Easy Pickings

Update:

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen will not be relying only on Phil Hogan's report to her when coming to her conclusion about his movements in Ireland
reports @tconnellyRTE

— RTÉ News at One (@RTENewsAtOne) August 26, 2020