Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There is something sadly inevitable about this debate and the controversy in which the Tánaiste finds himself. I was hoping that today he would stop treating those in the political system and the people of Ireland like fools. He has chosen not to stop. His explanation is just not credible. He waltzed in here this evening and to the cheers of his party colleagues equated giving this document to his friend to exchanging documentation as part of the Northern Ireland peace process. He seems to want to paint himself as a victim. He said there is nothing inappropriate about informal contacts of this nature per se. He said that friends, acquaintances and supporters may claim to be closer to him than they really are, and that this is clearly a big part of the story. Of course it is a big part of the story. It is the entirety of the story. As Taoiseach, with the immense responsibility placed on him, the Tánaiste handed a document stamped "CONFIDENTIAL" to a friend of his who asked for it and who was the head of a rival organisation to the Irish Medical Organisation. The Tánaiste has said with a straight face that he was trying to enhance the possibility of this deal getting over the line. I want to ask the Tánaiste about the nature of his relationship with Dr. Maitiú Ó Tuathail. Has he communicated with him since the story broke on Saturday or since he became aware of it?

See this speech in context