Tanaiste Faces No Confidence Motion Over Leaking Controversy

Sinn Féin have put down a motion of no confidence in Tánaiste Leo Varadkar over the leaks controversy.

The party says the Tánaiste has yet to put forward a credible reason for giving a confidential GP contract to a friend of his in a doctors union.

Just as the controversy appeared to be losing steam Sinn Féin has put down a motion of no confidence in Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.

The party says his actions in leaking a confidential GP contract were unacceptable, and they don't think his version of events in a credible account of why he did it.

Tánaiste Varadkar spent two hours in the Dáil defending himself on Tuesday.

He said the contents of the IMO contract were very much in the public domain by the time he gave a copy of the deal to his friend Dr Maitiu O Tuathail, who at that time headed a rival doctors union.

Both Fianna Fáil and the Green Party have publicly backed Leo Varadkar's position.

However it's caused dissent in Fianna Fáil in particular, with a number of TDs unhappy at the position taken.

A spokesperson for Leo Varadkar said this afternoon the no confidence motion shows Sinn Féin are not interested in the truth, only political mudslinging and attacking the government at a time of national crisis.

The motion will be debated in the Dáil next Tuesday.