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Leo Varadkar has given a statement in the Dail apologizing for “errors of judgment” in sharing a GP contract with a group of doctors.
The Tanaiste said the allegations that it had something to gain from leaking confidential documents are “baseless and deeply offensive.”
Varadkar admitted to leaking details of a salary deal with the Irish Medical Organization (IMO) to rival the NAGP union.
However, he said he did so in the interest of securing support for the agreement from all groups of general practitioners.
(Image: Niall Carson / PA Wire)
He told the Dail: “I wanted to use the influence of the Taoiseach office to secure a new contract for GPs. It would be a big step forward to ensure universal healthcare that I believe in.”
He added: “It was a good deal and I wanted it to be universally accepted. I wanted to avoid a recurrence of the difficulties we had in obtaining free medical care for children under six years old.”
Leo Varadkar has said that he received the leaked document from the Health Department.
He said he was provided with a copy by the Minister of Health, at the time Simon Harris, and one of his advisers provided him with a second copy.
He said that the document was requested from him by Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail from NAGP.
The Tanaiste was answering questions from Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty.
Mr. Doherty rejected the explanation.
He told the Dail: “The confidential document was not complete. Your friend requested that document.
“This is not a junior official, Tanaiste. You were the head of government. This is old-fashioned. It is not something you apologize for.
“This is a favor for friends and I am not buying your analysis.”
Varadkar told the Dail that he has been in contact with Maitiu O Tuathail three times since the story was made public.
He said that the first time he contacted Dr. O Tuathail when the story was being published to find out the details.
On the second occasion he contacted him to confirm the dates involved.
On the third occasion he said that Dr. O Tuathail contacted him to ask if the NAGP should make a statement, on which Varadkar said he should not comment.
He said, “Yes, we are friends. But there are friends and there are friends. We are not close friends. Dr. O Tuathail is the kind of friend that you meet two or three times a year.
“We are not best friends or anything like that, I know that is the narrative that is trying to create.”
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