Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has admitted Leo Varadkar’s attendance at an event hosted by ex-Minister Katherine Zappone has “undermined public confidence.”
The Coalition leader has also said he “regrets” attending a separate party organised by the Green Party’s candidate for the Dublin Bay South by-election, Claire Byrne.
Defending his attendance at the event which took place at Merrion cricket grounds, Mr Ryan said the party was "invitation only" and was within the guidelines for that type of venue.
But he conceded: “Clearly in hindsight, in terms of maintaining public confidence, I would have preferred had we not attended those events, because anything that in any way undermines public confidence doesn't help.
"I regret very much that those events did lead to this controversy in the last week.
“I think this whole controversy has undermined public confidence.
"It is a real problem and it's a real regret that the guidelines in regard to those events weren't as clear as they should have been and it's appropriate that they have been updated, and will continue to be updated because what we now need to do is to continue to reopen the country.”
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he said: “To back up what both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste said, there is a real problem and it’s a real regret that the guidelines in regard to those events weren’t as clear as they should have been.”
Mr Ryan’s comments come after the Tanáiste admitted: “I probably let my guard down,” over attending the Zappone event at the Merrion Hotel.
Mr Varadkar apologised to his colleagues and said the scandal had become “a distraction".
Fáilte Ireland was forced to issue new guidelines last week for bars and restaurants after it emerged Mr Varadkar was among around 50 guests at an outdoor event hosted by Ms Zappone at the Merrion Hotel on July 21.
The Attorney General has since clarified that such events could go ahead but many in the hospitality industry have said they were unaware that such large events were allowed.
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