'No Special Treatment:' Leo Varadkar faces scrutiny in the Dáil over leaked IMO contract
Anyone watching the Oireachtas livestream could hear a pin drop when Tánaiste Leo Varadkar entered into the Dáil to answer questions about his role in the controversial leaking of a drafted Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) contract.
Mr. Varadkar began his statement at around 5.18pm, after a delay in Dáil proceedings following an outburst between Michael and Danny Healy-Rae towards An Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
It was evident that TDs Simon Harris and Mary-Lou McDonald were looking on with intrigue and possibly subdued frustration when Varadkar made his statement.
In his statement to the Dáil, the Tánaiste said that he shared the document as he wanted to make sure that the conditions of a proposed deal between the IMO and a rival group, the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) could be read over by the latter, in order to avoid any 'negative impact' on GPs.
He apologised for his error of judgement 'to the IMO, the public, patients and to the House,' and admitted that he was 'not a victim' in the controversy.
However, he added that any suggestions that he shared the classified document for any selfish reasons were incorrect, saying that he did not wish to offer anyone 'special treatment' when sharing the confidential document.
He also denied any illegal wrongdoing, claiming that 'this was not the case.'
The Tánaiste also argued that the agreement reached by the two groups was no secret and was in the public domain around the 6th of April last year.
When quizzed about the leak by Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty, the Tánaiste said that he accidentally discarded the first draft of the document, which was a copy, in his recycling bin and had it printed off again as he wished to go over it again.
Varadkar also downplayed his relationship with Dr. O' Tuathail in his response, saying that he was 'not a close friend' of his.
He also said that he gave the document in confidence to Dr. O' Tuathail to 'share' but not publish.
Mr. Doherty asked Varadkar about the fact that the NAGP is located on Kildare Street, near the Dáil, with Varadkar claiming he had no knowledge of this fact.
In closing, he told Varadkar that the Dáil 'was not a boy's club' and claimed that he simply did a favour for a friend, adding that he 'didn't buy his analysis.'
Labour Party TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said that he found Varadkar's statements not to be credible.
He also brought up a message, allegedly sent from Dr. O' Tuathail, in which Dr. O' Tuathail said: 'I'd love to destroy [the] IMO [too].'
Catherine Murphy TD of the Social Democrats also questioned the Tánaiste's understanding of the word 'confidential.'
When asked by Murphy, Mr. Varadkar said that none of his colleagues knew of his activities with the NAGP.
The Dáil continues to question the Tánaiste about his actions, who recently stressed that he would not do such an action again and has since learned from it.
Updates to follow as more develops.
