Fine Gael Minister Simon Harris has told the Dáil that a claim made by a Sinn Fein TD under Dáil privilege in which he was accused of leaking from Cabinet is “untrue.”
Sinn Fein Matt Carthy made the accusation in the Dáil last night during a defeated motion of no confidence in Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney.
He said: “The Taoiseach will remember on day one, told us to move on.
“Minister Coveney went on radio and arrogantly told the media not to create new stories.
“Rather than dealing with the debacle, Fine Gael were running a sting operation to expose that Simon Harris had leaked the appointment from the cabinet meeting.
“Because, that is how business is done.”
Last night, a spokeswoman for Minister Harris said: "This was a clear misuse of Dail privilege and it is untrue."
Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, Minister Harris said: “Yesterday I was named in this House in my absence, in my unavoidable absence.
“What was said was a misuse of Dáil privilege and I want the record if the House to show it is untrue.”
He made the statement after Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty asked Tanáiste Leo Varadkar if he had shared any details about the alleged leak with the Taoiseach.
