The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) has moved to distance itself from the Oireachtas Golf Society’s dinner controversy by insisting it had absolutely no role in “enforcing, monitoring or approving” health and safety rules at any hotel or guesthouse in the country.

The EU trade commissioner, Phil Hogan, said last week he attended the event at the Station House Hotel in Clifden only “on the clear understanding that the organisers and the hotel concerned” had been assured by the IHF that the arrangements in place would comply with Government guidelines.

However, the IHF said on Sunday morning it “provides general advice and had no role in organising or providing clearance for this event”.

It also said the controversy highlighted “limitations” in how the Government had been communicating messages about changes to public health advice and suggested there was a “time lag” between when such changes were announced and when operational guidelines for businesses were updated.

“As the representative body for hotels and guesthouses, we have worked closely with the Government throughout this pandemic to ensure robust operational procedures and industry guidelines are in place and effectively communicated in order to safeguard public health in line with evolving Government advice,” the IHF said in statement.

It stressed that its role was to provide “general guidance, and at all times we encourage hotels and guesthouses to comply with the required guidelines. We do not have any role in enforcing, monitoring or approving the implementation of this guidance or operational guidelines.”