Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said allegations made against him regarding the leak of a GP pay deal contract were false and politically motivated, days after a file on the matter was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Speaking to reporters in California on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar declined to comment in detail on the basis he did not wish to say anything that might be seen to apply undue pressure on the DPP.
"But what I do want to say, and I am going to re-emphasise this, the allegations that were made against me were false, they were politically motived," he told RTÉ.
“I did not commit any crime. I did not do anything corrupt. In fact I didn’t even do anything self-interested. And I think when this is over that will be clear to any reasonable person.”
Gardaí investigating the issue, which involves the leaking of contract details by Mr Varadkar to a friend, completed their investigation last week and referred the file for consideration. The DPP will decide what, if any, action follows by way of prosecution.
The investigation was launched after Varadkar confirmed he had leaked the document to Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail in April 2019.
It contained details of the deal the then government had provisionally agreed with the Irish Medical Organisation.
At the time Dr Ó Tuathail was the president of the National Association of General Practitioners, a rival organisation also representing GPs that is now defunct.
