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

Regarding the Deputy's remarks, it is important to emphasise again that the negotiations had concluded. Some minor changes were made prior to publication, but none that required a return to Cabinet. It is in the Cabinet memo of 9 April that engagement had concluded with the IMO at that stage. The figure the Deputy used, regarding the potentially sensitive piece of information in respect of €210 million, was in the press release of 4 April. In fact, there was a detailed breakdown of the financial aspects of this agreement. There was €120 million for fees, a 10% increase in pension contributions, and €80 million for chronic disease management. Down to the last €1 or €2 million was published in the statement on 4 April long before any of this happened and it was all publicly announced.

Can I be trusted? I have been a Minister for nearly ten years now. I have dealt with bus and train disputes and all sorts of potential strikes at the airports as the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. There were also issues in regard to social welfare offices when I was the Minister for Social Protection. There were also difficult issues to deal with, such as a nurses strike, for example, when I was the Taoiseach. I do not think anyone involved in those events would be critical of my performance or behaviour in any way. This was different, it was a particular set of circumstances and very different to those.

Regarding my phone, that is not my practice. The Deputy may not believe that, but at the time of those negotiations I was the Minister for Health and I was keeping in touch with the office. Those talks went on for 12 to 16 hours a day. I was the Minister for Health then, I had to keep in touch with the office and that was what I was doing. I know that during those talks that the Deputy actually took phone calls at the table, which was something I did not do. I do not believe he was leaking. I am sure he was just taking calls from his constituents.

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