Embattled EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan today issued a detailed defense of his recent trip to Ireland after facing calls to resign over possibly breaching the country’s coronavirus restrictions.
Hogan submitted a report and timeline to his boss European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who had requested more details from the Irishman about his conduct in the past month.
“To the best of my knowledge and ability I believe that I complied with public health regulations in Ireland during my visit,” the commissioner wrote in the 1,400-word statement, adding that he abided by Irish requirements “at all times.”
However, the statement led immediately to fresh questions over whether Hogan complied fully with quarantine requirements after entering the country.
Hogan said he tested negative for the coronavirus on August 5 and that that ended a requirement for him to self-isolate for two weeks after arriving in Ireland on July 31.
But an employee of the country’s Health Service Executive told the Irish Times that incoming travelers must self-isolate for 14 days regardless of any negative test result, since the virus could still be incubating when the test was carried out.
As well as apologizing for attending a golf society dinner and for using his cell phone while driving, Hogan also defended entering the county of Kildare despite a local lockdown in place.
He said one trip back into Kildare to collect documents on EU-U.S. trade talks, and another trip to pick up his passport, both fell under the Irish law’s definition of having a “reasonable excuse” to enter the region.