Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste has now changed his story again. He told the Dáil that he asked his PA to request the document from the Department of Health. He now says that he asked his PA for it and she already had a copy, so he never got it from the Department of Health. Why is he changing his story? Is it because now we can prove that there is no record whatsoever of his getting the document from the Department, requesting it or receiving it?

The freedom of information request shows clearly that the Tánaiste's defence of his actions lies now in tatters. He suggested to this House that this was part of a Government strategy. It is very clear that it was not a Government strategy. It is very clear from the communications that were released two months later that this would have been detrimental to the discussions, a serious breach of trust and that this document was confidential. It is also clear that as the Tánaiste sat in his office and put this contract in the post to the rival organisation of the IMO, an organisation which wanted to publish it and undermine the IMO, at the same time, the Minister, Deputy Harris, was requesting access to the document and was being refused access. We can prove all of that.

Does the Tánaiste accept that he has now changed his story in regard to how he got the second version of the document? Can he explain why he is changing his story once again?

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