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The news that Leo Varadkar leaked a confidential document regarding a € 210 million GP payment agreement, as well as the strongly denied allegation that he violated the law in doing so, emerged in the Saturday edition of Village Magazine.
The publication was owned by journalist Vincent Browne before being taken over by one of his initial partners in the company, attorney Michael Smith, who has run the magazine from his Ormond Quay office and home since the late 2000s.
Mr Smith first rose to prominence in 1995 when he, along with fellow lawyer (and now EU General Court Judge) Colm Mac Eochaidh offered a £ 10,000 reward for information on planning irregularities, which which eventually led to the establishment of the Flood Court.
Since then, he has painted himself as an advocate for unloved stories from outside the mainstream and opposing, sometimes fringe views. Smith says it “aims to challenge, but also has an open ideology.”
“All the media have tacit or covert ideologies, but we are explicit about it and we are a campaign magazine driven by equality of results, sustainability and responsibility.”
He says it is an ideology that only applies “after the facts have been established.”
Like many editors, he has found himself on the wrong side of Superior Court proceedings, including former Gate Theater director Michael Colgan and far-right activist Gemma O’Doherty.
Ms. O’Doherty previously contributed to the magazine, although Mr. Smith said that Village “did not allow him to air any ideology or know what his ideology was” at the time. She subsequently published articles harshly criticizing her, leading to High Court action.
Dr. Maitiú Ó Tuathail, former director of the National Association of General Physicians. File Photography: Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie
Leaked document
Varadkar’s story emanated from documents provided by a healthcare entrepreneur and corporate problem solver named Chay Bowes, mostly screenshots of text conversations allegedly involving Mr. Bowes, former president of the National Association of General Practitioners. (NAGP) Maitiú Ó Tuathail and other high-ranking members of that group. .
These text conversations included images of the leaked document and messages apparently between Mr. Ó Tuathail and the Tánaiste, as well as messages from Mr. Ó Tuathail characterizing his relationship with the leader of Fine Gael.
Bowes, a former member of the Army medical corps, founded a company called Tara Healthcare, which for a time provided HSE-funded home health treatments before being sold to the VHI, had been drafted by the NAGP to deliver a report on finance. governance and operations. The NAGP collapsed into disarray in liquidation amid recriminations last summer.
Paddy Cosgrave is the organizer of the Web Summit. File Photography: Nick Bradshaw / The Irish Times
Paddy Cosgrave, organizer of the Web Summit, introduced Bowes to Village Magazine, Smith said. “[Mr Cosgrave] He recommended to Chay that he come to the Village with roughly the story that was published. He felt that we would be a good home for this story; we can cover stories differently and we can work with people who want to expose scandals. “
Cosgrave, who has openly criticized the government and the political system, and also resolved a legal action taken by Mr. Ó’Tuathail, which received the leak from Mr. Varadkar, earlier this year. Cosgrave also provided “strategic advice” on the article, Smith said. When asked for a comment, Cosgrave responded with a closed-mouth emoji. When informed of the details of his alleged involvement, he responded with a “thumbs up” emoji.
Smith has said he has “more information” on Varadkar’s story. When asked for details, he said the magazine is “going through a wide range of correspondence that Chay received, mainly from Maitiú Ó Tuathail.”
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