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No prosecution for Varadkar over GP document leak

Leo Varadkar EPA

Leo Varadkar apologised over the incident in 2020 but maintained he did nothing illegal

At a glance

  • Ireland's deputy first minister Leo Varadkar will not face prosecution over passing confidential documents to a friend

  • Mr Varadkar apologised in 2020 for "errors of judgement"

  • He said he was "pleased at the outcome" of the investigation

Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Leo Varadkar will not be prosecuted after being investigated for passing a confidential agreement with one medical organisation to a rival one.

The incident took place in 2019 when he was taoiseach (prime minister).

Mr Varadkar previously told the Irish parliament he gave a copy of an agreement between the government and the Irish Medical Organisation to Maitiú Ó Túathail in April 2019.

Mr Ó Túathail was the president of a rival GP association.

Mr Varadkar described Mr Ó Túathail as a friend but "not a close friend" and apologised in 2020 for "errors of judgement".

However he also told the Dáil (Irish parliament) there was "nothing selfish, corrupt, dishonest or illegal in what I did".

Ireland's Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided that no charges would be brought against Mr Varadkar or anyone else.

In a statement on Wednesday Mr Varadkar said: "I have always maintained that the allegations made against me were false.

"I am pleased at the outcome of what was a very thorough investigation".

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