Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is welcome to believe what he wants to believe and he can spin this any way he likes. He is doing a lot of spinning in respect of this. I discussed it with the Secretary General obviously before I appointed him - or before I asked if he would be available to be appointed. I certainly discussed it with the Secretary General before I approached him and he was formally appointed by the Secretary General. Bear in mind the role Mr. Concannon had prior to this. He is not somebody with whom we in this House are unfamiliar. He is the person who invented and headed up The Gathering and made The Gathering hugely successful.

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