Few people emerge with credit from the political events of the last week. Let’s start at the top. Micheál Martin just feels that he can’t catch a break at the minute, but has shown indecision repeatedly. He should have immediately recalled the Dáil, it could well have sat this week.

He also should have chosen Dara Calleary’s successor within 24 hours, and had them reading themselves into the role from last weekend. To lose two ministers is not just carelessness, but doubly unfortunate. That said, the losers here are farmers, not the Taoiseach.

Yes, his close friend the late Mark Killilea was being honoured, but people have sacrificed so much

With CAP reform gathering momentum, he needed to move more quickly to ensure representation for the 175,000 people employed in the agri-food sector.

Calleary made a catastrophic error of judgment. As a member of cabinet, agreeing the COVID-19 restrictions, he had to see the Clifden event was not just tone deaf, but just plain wrong. Yes, his close friend the late Mark Killilea was being honoured, but people have sacrificed so much, this was still only a golf dinner. He had to go, but he showed character in the manner in which he accepted that truth and resigned with some dignity.

Hogan

Phil Hogan is not in cabinet, and indeed is not in the country most of the time. It could be argued that he is an international diplomat home on holidays. Perhaps that is why he was so blasé about obeying the lockdown rules we all are living under.

Whatever the reason, he showed a reckless disregard for the importance of the position he holds on behalf of the Irish people, instead displaying a sense of his own self-importance.

It’s to the credit of Aoife Moore and Paul Hosford of the Irish Examiner that this story broke

Some people went to Clifden and played golf, but had the wit to go home. Recent Minister Michael Creed, Enda Kenny and Dick Spring all declined the fateful dinner, displaying better judgment than all who stayed and dined.

Lastly, a word for the journalists. It’s to the credit of Aoife Moore and Paul Hosford of the Irish Examiner that this story broke. Tony Connolly’s interview with Phil Hogan on Tuesday was probing and merciless.