Varadkar Must Come Before The Dáil Again As Leak Story Worsens - Tóibín
Aontú Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has expressed outrage over new revelations over the conduct of Tánaiste in leaking of a GP Contract to his friend Dr Ó’Tuathaill, and called on the Taoiseach to act over these new revelations.
An Teachta Tóibín:
“The Tánaiste had to be forced into the Dáil to answer questions from the Opposition, and his answers did nothing to assuage the concern and anger over this act of corruption and abuse of his office. Information and communications have now come to light which rebut the defence mustered by Varadkar, and show his answers in the Dáil were dishonest and disingenuous. The Tánaiste claimed at the time that everything in the contract he gave to his friend Dr Ó’Tuathail was in the public domain. However, internal communications show this simply wasn’t true. In fact, the very same day Varadkar posted the confidential GP Contract to Ó’Tuathail, Simon Harris was refused a copy of the document on the basis that the material within the contract was not yet finalised and that releasing and acceptance of the contract was to be left up to the parties to the contract. Varadkar had the document on the 10th of April, before sending it to the head of the NAGP as ‘Leo always delivers.’”
“If everything was in the public domain as Varadkar claims, why then was the Minister for Health denied a copy of the contract? Two days after being denied a copy, Harris was finally given a copy but another email from the Assistant Secretary at the Department of Health sought to clarify that up till now the contract had “been a working document for the purposes of negotiation” and that “my assessment is that it will be next week before we have a fully completed and signed-off agreement between the parties.” For the Tánaiste to be right, the Department of Health, Dr Ó’Tuathail, Simon Harris, the Press and the Opposition all have to be wrong despite the Tánaiste’s record of leaking. It is obvious his answers in the Dáil were disingenuous and disrespectful to the elected representatives of the people. This is flagrant corruption and cover up by a Tánaiste of his time as leader of this country. It is especially hypocritical given the Tánaiste’s call for an investigation into the leaking of the Mother & Baby Homes report to the Press. Micheál Martin must act to send a clear message this conduct and deception is unbecoming and unacceptable in his government”
