Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to take this opportunity to speak to express confidence in the Tánaiste. Leo Varadkar has been a colleague of mine for many years and he is a person I have grown to know well and trust. We are here today because of a Sinn Féin attempt to continue to sow division within Government and capitalise on a mistake made by the Tánaiste. As became clear last week, Leo's motivation in bringing the National Association of General Practitioners, NAGP, into the fold on a new GP contract was well-meaning but it did take a shortcut. He should not have mailed the document to the NAGP president. He should instead have had the association briefed officially. The Tánaiste has apologised for this and said that it was wrong and not best practice. However, if one were to read the abuse that faceless online trolls and their backers have drummed up, one would be forgiven for thinking that the Tánaiste had acted for personal gain or to sabotage something instead of landing widespread support for a deal done with GPs that he cared about.

The Tánaiste has already been before this House to explain himself thoroughly and to take questions. It is obvious now that for some what is ongoing is not about establishing facts or truth but about sustaining a political smear campaign masquerading as whistle-blowing to inflict maximum political damage. Let us talk about whistle-blowers. In 2014, as Garda Sergeant Maurice McCabe’s reputation stood in tatters and as he was labelled as “disgusting” by his superior, who in this House stood out from the crowd and said no, the actions of Maurice McCabe were not disgusting but distinguished?

The Charleton tribunal said that remark came from a brave politician, a member of Cabinet and a senior individual within the political system and it was a break for Maurice McCabe that someone of that stature was brave enough to come out and call it as it was. That is the Leo Varadkar I know.

The timeline of April 2019 shows the truth and context, for those who want to see it, on this issue. The contracts were negotiated and done. The detail was widely briefed to the media by the IMO, the HSE and the Government. The Cabinet was updated. Hundreds of GPs were at organised meetings around the country discussing the detail, with briefing documents from the IMO. Only then did the Tánaiste give the document to the NAGP in an effort to try to bring GPs together.

Last week was about accountability to the House, and rightly so. What is Sinn Féin's game here this evening? Is it using this issue to try to sow division in a coalition during a global pandemic and as Brexit negotiations reach endgame, or is Sinn Féin's strategy simply to harvest and nurture online hate and bile regardless of the truth and cost, the politics of division and resentment? I will let those listening to the benches opposite judge for themselves but I have no hesitation in voting confidence in Leo Varadkar.

See this speech in context