Paul Murphy's High Court case against ethics watchdog to be heard next week 

Mr Murphy is seeking to quash a refusal of the Standards in Public Office Commission to carry out an investigation into allegations Taoiseach Leo Varadkar leaked a confidential GP contract document to a friend

Paul Murphy originally made a complaint in November 2020 to Sipo that Mr Varadkar provided a copy of the confidential proposed GP's contract agreement in April 2019 to Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail, president of the National Association of General Practitioners. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The High Court will on Tuesday hear a case brought by the People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy against Ireland's ethics watchdog.

Mr Murphy is seeking to quash a decision by the Standards in Public Office (Sipo) Commission to carry out an investigation into allegations Taoiseach Leo Varadkar leaked a confidential GP contract document to a friend.

The case has been brought against Sipo, the State and the Attorney General and is listed for hearing next Tuesday and Wednesday.

In his challenge, Mr Murphy is seeking several reliefs, including an order quashing the November 9, 2022, decision by Sipo not to carry out an investigation under Section 23 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995. 

He also seeks a declaration that Sipo’s decision was determined in a manner that breached Mr Murphy’s right to fair procedures and natural and constitutional justice.

He further seeks an order remitting the matter back to Sipo for reconsideration.

Mr Murphy originally made a complaint in November 2020 to Sipo that Mr Varadkar provided a copy of the confidential proposed GP contract agreement in April 2019 to Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail, president of the National Association of General Practitioners.

The agreement had been negotiated between the Department of Health, the HSE, and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO).

Dr Ó Tuathail’s association was a rival to the IMO and was not a party to the negotiations.

Mr Murphy said the document was confidential and had not been released publicly. Mr Varadkar, following publicity about the alleged leak, denied it was confidential by the time he passed it on to Dr Ó Tuathail.

Following a public backlash, Mr Varadkar admitted it had been "inappropriate" for him to leak the pay deal between the Government and the IMO to Dr Ó Tuathail. The National Association of General Practitioners was a rival organisation which is now defunct.

In November 2022, Sipo announced it would not be investigating the matter.

In a separate case earlier this week, Sipo agreed to a High Court order quashing its decision to refuse to provide the Ditch media company with an annual political donation statement from the Taoiseach.

Ditch Media brought the case after being refused a copy of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s 2022 annual donation statement last August.

It said it wanted to request the 2022 donation statements of other Oireachtas members but was precluded from doing so because of the “unlawful position” adopted by Sipo.