Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has criticized “sworn political opponents” who claimed he broke the law by leaking details of a multimillion-euro GP contract to his friend.
In his second statement after being cleared of any criminal wrongdoing related to the leak, Mr Varadkar said those who made these allegations against him “have made extraordinary efforts to make them known”.
“Their actions were politically motivated and at times very personal,” he said.
“The tactics and motives of those individuals should be the subject of some reflection,” he added.
The Fine Gael leader said at least one of those individuals was “subject to an investigation into their own conduct in this matter”.
This refers to businessman Chay Bowes who gave the information about the leak to Village Magazine.
Mr Bowes was told yesterday by Gardaí that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has recommended not to prosecute him.
Varadkar described the Garda investigation as “thorough and meticulous” and said it involved dozens of interviews and the examination of multiple documents and devices.
He said his decision to submit the document to NAGP President Dr. Maitiú Ó Tuathail to give was lawful and that he did so in the public interest.
“I was determined to get that organization’s support for the agreement we made with another organization on behalf of the GP,” he said.
“I accept that my use of an informal personal channel was inappropriate. It was my mistake and I bear sole responsibility for it. I have been held accountable for those actions in the Dáil. I have apologized for it and I want to do that again,” he added.
“However, the allegations against me that it was more than a mistake were false. They were created by sworn political opponents of me and my party.
“I know that I have not broken any law, done anything corrupt, or even done it out of self-interest. That is now clear to any sane person.”