Thankfully, @simoncoveney has confirmed the leaked document sent to @LeoVaradkar‘s friend was sent on a “confidential basis” 🤪 #MuppetShow #cblive #LeoTheLeak #SackVaradkar pic.twitter.com/pcIh5ojA8o
— Mick Caul 😷 (@caulmick) November 2, 2020
Last night.
Meanwhile…
The Tánaiste is due to give a 20-minute statement in the Dáil chamber at 4.10pm on how and why he gave a contract negotiated between the Government and the Irish Medical Organisation to a rival GP group in April of last year.
As well as Mr Coveney, a succession of Fine Gael Ministers have defended Mr Varadkar asserting that much of the information in the document was in the public realm and his only intention was to ensure more GPs signed-up to a long-overdue upgraded contract.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said he has confidence in the Tánaiste but admitted the controversy is a distraction.
Varadkar due to make Dáil statement over document leak (RTE)
Meanwhile…
Paddy Cosgrave
Paddy Cosgrave [Web Summit co-founder], who has been a vocal critic of the Government and the political system, and also settled a High Court action taken by Mr Ó’Tuathail – who received the leak from Mr Varadkar – earlier this year.
Mr Cosgrave also provided “strategic advice” on the article, [Village editor Michael Smith] said. Asked for comment, Mr Cosgrave responded with an emoji with a zipped mouth.
When details of his alleged involvement were put to him, he responded with a “thumbs up” emoji.
Mr Smith has said he has “more information” to come on the Varadkar story.
Asked for details, he said the magazine is “going through a whole range of correspondence that [whistleblower Chay [Bowe} received, mostly from Maitiú Ó Tuathail.”
Who are the main players in the Varadkar document leak? (irish Times)
Paddy Cosgrave – such a likeable creature. We’ll all bow down in glorious supplication when he becomes our Dear Leader. The plan is coming together.
Ah yes, the old “it’s not the leak, it’s who leaked it” method of misdirection. That’s how you know sh*t is real.
Bull. Ireland’s foremost grudgemaster has skin in this game. How dare his long list of enemies not recognise Paddy Cosgrave’ s brilliance. Kudos to the IT for detailing the score-settling behind this “leak” and the various actors, each with their own grubby grievances.
That doesn’t fully absolve Varadkar though from what was a jaw-droppingly bad decision but let’s not fool ourselves: for those who are behind this, ethics are the very least of their motivations.
Set up an enquiry and call all those involved.
“doesnt fully absolve” ??????
WTAF
it doesnt absolve in any shape or form. the identity of the person who exposed leos leaks is inconsequential.
what remains to be seen is what further info he village have and whether it as an isolated leak
All I am saying is that managed correctly, the possible mala fides and score-settling motivation behind this story might offer a way out.
What this story lacks is the name of a reputable journalist behind it and this is to Varadkar’s advantage.
the village has infinitely more credibility than any other media outlet in ireland. hell it even has real journalists
Erm, beyond the BS bubble, I’m not sure the Village is held in the esteem you claim. I am simply interested in the political machinations here. This is dirty politics on all sides make no mistake.
‘jaw-droppingly bad decision’ ROFL. Boo Boo territory.
I’d place it on the criminal spectrum
Guffaw. You’d have already had all those involved up before a firing squad GiggidyGoo although I do hope your bleary-eyed self isn’t pulling the trigger. It could take a while…
Bad that when even Cian has the sense not to come out they still send out the Junior B team. ROFL.
Watch the clock – Varadkar is up later this afternoon. You can then return and tell us where the big and little hands were when he opens his trap.
Shucks! So if you like you, the Senior A team has to be on 24-7, day, morning, noon and night, Junior B suits fine!
Anything you say…Charlie
+1 Listrade
Coveney crashed and burned last night. Claire Byrne was even trying to go easy on him, letting him away with the ‘company line’ of ‘nothing to see here’.
The fact of the matter is that the document was Confidential. That’s actually the only thing that matters. If Coveney and McEntee and Harris (to a lesser extent, even though his dreams of party leadership are now in the toilet) are saying that ‘Confidential’ doesn’t actually mean Confidential, then they are debasing the governance of this State. Alan Shatter may have some ‘confidential but not really confidential’ input?
Varadkar will bring down many if he’s allowed to get away with this. Harris needs to be questioned too. I doubt he’s squeaky clean and would like it clarified.
Excellent to see Eamon Ryan having full confidence in Leo The Leaker he obviously wants to have full confidence in a taoiseach (who will leak in the best interests of the country) those nice juicy contracts to Eamons preferred suppliers in the best interests of the electorate of course because that makes it okay then!
The Greenwash party are burying themselves in poop and they are enthusiastically allowing their leadership to dig their own cesspit.
If Paddy Cosgrove has exposed what passes for ethical probity in the behaviour of the rotisserie taoiseach Leo The Leaker then he should be commended for his civic duty.
Paddy is the most dangerous of all. Independent, wealthy, connected and untroubled by what people think of him.
Add all that to a huge ego and a pathological need for attention and you get popcorn time.
You gotta take your wins where you get ‘em.
He’ll be less connected when his involvement and motivations become apparent.
Vendettas are not good for business.
Apparently Paddy Cosgrave has never forgiven FG for the Web Summit Lisbon move. His star faded when this happened as he had bigger long term political plans so needed his name in the lime light.
The old adage says what goes around comes around but of late, Cosgrave does not care if you are hate-tweeting him or calling him this that and the other. What he cares about is relevance and the fact his name is up in lights. Quite Trumpy and look where it got Trump.
And that detracts from Vardakar couriering, same-day, a confidential document to his matey – how?
Deflect, distract. Did Cian break his fingers and is now dictating?
Come off it. If all roads lead back to Paddy Cosgrave given his history of nursing grudges, this gives a compelling dirty politics narrative and the possibility of actors acting mala fires might give a (non-publicised) excuse to those in FG, FF and the Greens not to pull the plug or demand a head on the plate. Cosgrave’s involvement will be certain to make some in FG wince.
Varadkar gave a confidential document to his matey. Nothing more needs to be said.
There is also no bridge that he sees that isn’t an opportunity for a fire. He has fallen out with nearly every sponsor he ever thad in Ireland and this also influenced his decision to leave.
But, wealth buys you freedom, and then what?
I do like Paddy Cosgrove and this whole debacle is far better off for his involvement.Hurrah!
Is this the 21st Century version of Tom Gilmartin, P. Flynn thing? If so ,has the late late show moment happened while I wasn’t looking ?
It’s reported 500 NAGP’s protested outside the Dail in Feb ’19 with 94% of them calling for Simon Harris’s resignation. Did Leo leak a whistle blowers document in 2018 on astonishing claims on NAGP ? A roller coaster ride for NAGP with member aghast at accounts and allegedly reported to Garda fraud squad. Interesting times ahead .