The Government has been accused of throwing public health guidelines "out the window" and changing Covid guidelines to "retrospectively approve the attendance of [the] Tánaiste at an event".
It comes after the Attorney General has said gatherings of up to 200 people are allowed at outdoor events.
The controversy erupted after ex-minister Katherine Zappone held a 50-person event at the Merrion Hotel on July 21.
The event was six days before she was appointed by the Government as Special Envoy for freedom of expression - a position she has now declined to take up following disquiet over how she got the role.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin was left blindsided at last week’s Cabinet meeting when Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney brought the proposal to give the former Minister for Children the new role.
Opposition TDs had criticised the Government for handpicking Ms Zappone for the job with Mr Martin admitting it was an “oversight” on Minister Coveney’s behalf.
Government Ministers including Minister Coveney and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar had denied her appointment was due to cronyism.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ms Zappone said she would no longer be taking the job.
She said: “While I am honoured to have been appointed by the Government to be the Special Envoy on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, it is clear that criticism of the appointment process has impacted the legitimacy of the role itself.”
Attention then turned to the private outdoor event Ms Zappone held in the Merrion hotel on July 21 in which senior civil servants, politicians and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar attended.
Both Ms Zappone and the Merrion Hotel were adamant that the 50-person event did not breach Covid-19 guidelines.
However, Opposition TDs and representatives of the hospitality industry sought clarity as they understood the event should not have taken place and was not in line with Covid-19 guidelines.
A Government statement issued said they had been “advised by the Attorney General that regulations provide for organised outdoor events and gatherings up to 200 people, including social, recreational, exercise, cultural, entertainment or community events.”
However, the statement said this did not include an event to be held in a house, a wedding reception, sporting or training event.
The statement said: “Further updates will be made to the guidelines to ensure that people have clarity about how organised outdoor events may operate into the future.”
Shortly after, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar issued a statement confirming he had attended Ms Zappone’s event for 45 minutes but was “confident” that he did not breach any guidelines.
He said he checked with hotel management and Ms Zappone that they were both adhering to Covid rules.
However, Sinn Féin's Matt Carthy has accused the Government of throwing public health guidelines "out the window" and changing Covid guidelines to "retrospectively approve the attendance of Tánaiste at an event.”
While Sinn Fein’s health spokesman David Cullinane has accused the Government of "making it up as they go along" following the statement outlining the Attorney General's advice.
He said the Fáilte Ireland guidelines state that "organised events are currently not permitted" with certain exceptions.
He said: "The Government now seems to be suggesting that an organised social event of up to 200 people is permitted.”
While the party’s leader Mary Lou McDonald has called for the guest-list at the Merrion hotel event to be made public.
The chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) has said that he will be seeking clarification on whether outdoor gatherings of 50 people are now permitted at restaurants and hotels.
Adrian Cummins said that if gatherings such as the one that took place at the Merrion Hotel are permitted, it raises questions as to whether people can book outdoor parties for communions, confirmations, birthdays and other events.
It comes as a row has erupted between the Government and Church authorities who are expected to defy public health advice and proceed with Communions and Confirmations despite the Government ban.
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