Simon Coveney attended a garden party at Iveagh House less than a month after the controversial Champagne office hooley, the Irish Mirror can reveal.
The Foreign Minister was accompanied by his junior ministers Colm Brophy and Thomas Byrne at the bash with up to 80 Department of Foreign Affairs staff and guests.
But the department last night maintained everything was within the Covid guidelines in force at the time.
The party, where wine, beer and other refreshments were served, was held on July 15, 2020, in the garden at the department’s HQ in Dublin.
It came after the controversial Champagne bash in June 2020 where up to 20 department officials posed for a selfie, clinked glasses in Iveagh House and didn’t observe social distancing or wear masks.
Mr Coveney said he didn’t attend the first party but merely dropped in to congratulate his team involved in winning a UN Security Council seat for Ireland.
But he did go to the second gathering a month later. It was also to mark Ireland’s election to the UN Security Council.
One attendee told the Irish Mirror: “As far as I could see, there were two groups of 30 to 40 at it.”
The July garden party came less than three weeks after the Government had raised the numbers that could gather outdoors together to 200.
But Ireland was still in the grip of Phase Three lockdown restrictions, including the complete closure of all so-called “wet pubs”, and attendance at weddings was limited to 100.
Nightclubs were also still shuttered, going to the cinema or theatre was restricted and there were limits on the numbers that could go to Mass or other religious venues.
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs told the Irish Mirror: “Following the easing of restrictions in late June 2020, an official event was held outdoors at the department on July 15, 2020 to mark Ireland’s election to the UN Security Council. It was held in compliance with Covid-19 guidelines and control measures were in place.
“The event was attended by all three ministers from the department.
“Numbers in attendance were significantly below the maximum allowed for under the regulations at the time.
“Total costs for refreshments served at the event came in at €440.”
Ministers Coveney, Byrne and Brophy were all contacted for comment last night, but none wished to add to the department’s statement. The danger of mass gatherings facilitating the spread of Covid was still being warned about by senior public health figures at the time of the July 2020 party.
In a letter to then Health Minister Simon Harris, dated June 25, 2020, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic it is widely recognised that mass gatherings of people can amplify the transmission of the virus and have the potential to significantly impact on the health service and wider Covid-19 response.” Meanwhile, an official investigation into the June 2020 champagne party at the Department of Foreign Affairs during Covid lockdown has been launched.
Mr Coveney confirmed a probe has been initiated by his officials and will be conducted by current Secretary General Joe Hackett.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said yesterday that the June 2020 party was “clearly in breach” of public health guidelines.
He was taking questions on the controversy on the first day back of the new Dail.
Aontu TD Peadar Toibin called on Mr Coveney to answer questions in the Dail. He said: “The regulations that your Government created have been enforced everywhere across the country, except it seems amongst the political class itself. We have this really strange situation where we have Simon Coveney refusing to come clean with regards to what happened within his department.”
