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Gardaí has confirmed that an investigation is underway into the circumstances surrounding the disclosure of a confidential government document to a friend of the Tánaiste almost two years ago.
Leo Varadkar told Dáil that he delivered a copy of an agreement between the state and the Irish Medical Organization to Maitiú Ó Túathail, the then president of a rival organization of GPs, the National Association of General Practitioners in April 2019.
The garda investigation, which has now been updated from an initial screening exercise, will determine the facts surrounding the incident and gather evidence for a file to be presented to the Director of Public Prosecution.
The DPP will decide whether or not any laws may have been violated and whether criminal charges will be preferred or not.
The investigation is being conducted by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which is under the overall command of Deputy Commissioner John O’Driscoll, Chief of Serious and Organized Crime.
A team of detectives has been appointed for the investigation, which is led by a superior officer.
The investigation focuses on possible infractions of existing legislation, such as the Official Secrets Law or the Criminal Justice Laws.
Gardaí has already received statements from several people, including Higher Education Minister Simon Harris, who was Minister of Health at the time.
A spokesman for Mr. Varadkar said today: “The Gardaí have not contacted the Tánaiste on this matter.
Last month, following media reports, his lawyers contacted the Gardaí to confirm his willingness to meet with them and deliver a statement.
“His legal advice is that he has not committed any crime and hopes that the matter will be concluded.”
Garda headquarters said today it does not comment on the ongoing investigations.
When asked whether Mr. Varadkar should stand aside, without prejudice, from his Cabinet position while Gardaí investigates the matter, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said: “Absolutely not.”
In his speech in RTÉ’s The Week in Politics, he added: “The Tánaiste made its position very clear in the Dáil last November. He said it was an error of judgment.”
“What he did was in the interests of GPs, patients and the general public. He had nothing to gain from sharing that document.”
Speaking on the same show, Sinn Féin’s Mairead Farrell said it was her party that rejected a motion of no confidence against Varadkar in November.
“It is absolutely wrong and very, very clear that that kind of culture has no place in our society,” he said.
Additional reports Mary Regan
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