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LAST UPDATE | 7 Sep 2021
THE TAOISEACH HAS reiterated that future government appointments must be transparent after Simon Coveney’s second Oireachtas Committee appearance over Katherine Zappone’s envoy role.
The foreign affairs minister came before an Oireachtas Committee today where he was grilled further on the controversy, following an initial appearance last week.
Following his apperance, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that “perception does matter in public life” and appointments must both be transparent and be seen as such.
A spokesperson for the Taoiseach said that “as the Taoiseach stated, the approach and process surrounding the selection of a UN part-time Special Envoy was wrong, and this should not have happened in the way it did”.
“The Minister for Foreign Affairs has apologised to the Taoiseach and Minister Ryan for this. Minister Coveney has now given his account to the Oireachtas Committee on the chronology of events that led to the appointment, joined by his former Secretary General,” the spokesperson said.
“That said, lessons need to be learned by Government on the handling of this issue,” they said.
“Firstly, any position of special envoy offered in future should only come through a fully open, transparent and advertised competition.
“There will also be a full review of the role of special envoys and their use by Government.
“Perception does matter in public life and appointments must be, and seen to be, fully open and transparent.
“There can be no doubt in the public’s mind about how appointments are made by Government in future.”
Coveney apologised for mistakes he made in relation to the abandoned appointment of former Minister Katherine Zappone as a special envoy to the UN.
Speaking to the foreign affairs committee, Coveney said: “The first thing I want to do is apologise to all the committee members for creating the circumstances that require a second hearing in a week, on the same issue of the appointment of a special envoy.
“Due to the sloppiness of some of my answers to your legitimate questions last week, we are back here again in order to, I hope, bring clarity to any outstanding issues once and for all.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday published 111 documents pertaining to the planned appointment of Zappone.
They showed that the former minister texted Coveney to thank him for “this incredible opportunity” in early March, months before the Cabinet signed off on the part-time position in controversial circumstances in late July.
Speaking after the committee meeting today, Sinn Féin TD John Brady said the minister tried to “spin a new story” that “no one believes frankly”.
Despite Coveney stating today in committee that no lobbying took place in his view, Sinn Féin Senator Lynn Boylan said she believed lobbying did take place for the envoy job.
She said the Taoiseach had a choice to make – to stand over “this level of cronyism” or “actually be Taoiseach”.
It is incumbent on the Taoiseach to state if he has confidence in his own minister, or whether he wants to “root out cronyism which is at the heart of his government,” said Brady.
Brady said the public were misled and the Taoiseach was left in the dark about the appointment, stating that this controversy has overshadowed the work of government.
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The spineless one isn’t going to say boo as long as his pensions on the line. He’ll slither out, mutter a few nothings and slither back into Leinster House like he always does.
At this stage I wonder is there any embarrassment he wouldn’t suffer at the hands of FG to stay in power; I reckon even if they ran over his wife he’d only voice his “concern”.
@John Duggan: Maybe like the majority of Ireland,we don’t care.
@Daniel Roche: thanks for your unsolicited opinion random stranger on the internet. Why don’t you find something you do care about and comment on that?
@Daniel Roche: Luckily for them the majority of Ireland probably don’t read the comments section of the Journal and won’t see this…
@John Duggan: I think his views are just as important as yours…
@John Duggan: I live in a brilliant country and we are allowed comment on anything we want and i will comment if I want.
@William Tallon: Fully agree.
@Trevor Mc Evoy: I’m not trying to silence him, just point out the contradiction of bothering to write comments under articles saying you don’t care about the subject matter.
@John Duggan: So you rather just one side, you are your crowd are trying to say this is a big thing,I’m coming from the side that think it’s nothing and don’t care,we have a voice too.
@John Duggan: are you a SF supporter John? Just curious.
@John Duggan: So let me get this straight. Are you saying the act of saying you don’t care means you do care? That’s what I would take from what you’ve said. Most of us have at some point expressed our lack of caring about something or other. You’ve probably done it yourself and found no contradiction in saying so. There are many things I don’t care about so does that mean because now that I’ve mentioned that fact that I really do care about them? All very confusing really so it’s just as well I don’t care. Or do I…
@Daniel Roche: Apathy is the way forward Daniel.
@Daniel Roche: speak for yourself, the majority do care but unfortunately we have no power to do anything about it. However, having a strong opposition party who ask this question is the basis of democracy which I’m sure you care about.
@William Tallon: I agree with the sentiment of your reply to John regarding “who cares” but a lot of people actually so read the Journal in comparison to actual newspapers. The Indo which has 48% of the newspaper market sells an average of 85k papers a day while there is an article here today on the Journal regarding CAO points that has attracted 130,000k views.
@Frank Cauldhame: That’s quite interesting and informative but the phrase used was ‘the majority of Ireland’. Based on the figures you’ve provided I think it’s safe to say that the majority of Ireland do not read the comments section of the Journal and will never see this comment.
@John Duggan: rather think posting comments on an open forum is to solicit responses from others (kinda the whole concept)
@John Duggan: not to care is as valid an opinion as yours.
@William Tallon: True about the majority of people. As the old adage goes, “today’s newspapers are tomorrow’s fish & chips wrapping”. :-)
@Daniel Roche: I care about this blatant abuse of power that the people that were elected to run our country are abusing.And when caught red handed try to worm their way out of a resigining matter.Yes I bloody do care about this despicable behaviour by Coveney.And also the spineless behaviour of our Taoiseach.And I’m sure I’m not alone.
@Daniel Roche: I sincerely hope you are in the minority.
@Daniel Roche: Going into week seven, think you might be underestimating the amount of people who do care. Coveney just dug the hole deeper today. No Attorney General to get Coveney out of the mess , like he got Varadkar off the hook. Pascal O’Donoghue, Michael McGrath, who claimed they knew nothing, suddenly added to the fiasco. The spineless one Martin must be on the verg of a nervous brakedown over F.G.antics. F.G.TDs stumbling and stuttering a half hearted defence of Coveney tonight..yes people are interested in this fiasco.
@John Duggan: I care, but it’s a non event !
@John Duggan: are you really serious? This is a FG cock-up entirely of their own making! Taosaigh is firmly focused on dealing with the problems of post Covid! It’s disingenuous to blame him for Zappone issue…get a bit of perspective! If he fired Coveney ( which would be over the top) it would cause an election! Nobody wants that..unless your a SF supporter?
Bet the ones claiming not to care would be the very ones braying the loudest for Sinn Fein heads if the shoe were on the other foot…
@Mary Hernandez: dead right Mary… the funny thing is people who really don’t care don’t tend to feel the need to tell people they don’t care.
It’s FGers trying to shut down coverage of the grift as they can’t defend it.
@John Duggan: I’m one of them that don’t care and never voted FG or will ever,which people am I.
@John Duggan: John I’ve read about 10 comments so far and 7 of them are yours, you are not a happy camper it would appear.
@Daniel Roche: What is more important than rooting out corruption of the Government that runs the nation ?
On the return of the Dáil, there should be a vote of no confidence in Simon Coveney. It would be then interesting to see how the TDs of FGFFGR react. Will they follow the the party whip and vote for cronyism or actually vote with their conscience?
@Bernard A Kavanagh: they would probably follow the Party whip, shame on them
This is like a Monty Python sketch, a very long continuous one
@SJ: Martin, Varadker & Coveney should run off and join a flying circus…
I’d rather ask if our Taoiseach has confidence in our FOI legislation?
Simon C. has set new rules in deleting correspondence. According to Simon C. once no FOI request has being made then ministers are intitled to delete what they want. Where in the legislation will I find that loophole?
What confidence has Micheál Martin in our lobbying legislation?
Katherine Zappone was lobbying last summer for another position. Not even a month after leaving office. Then in march 2021 got ‘confused’ thinking she had got a un special envoy role from Simon C. By may she was that disillusioned she was asking what date in use this non existence job started. Evening meeting with the sec general to set out terms and conditions of employment. A silly women making silly mistakes according to Simon C.
Also we have had junior minister taking up private employment after creating legislation with loopholes for investors. A former Taoiseach becoming a PR consultants. Even a former housing minister resigning his seat for a new role overnight.
legislation seems to be serving politicians interests instead of serving the public interest.
@leartius: Well said Leartius. In response to a comment above, we are a great little country, most people are good decent caring people but it’s that tremendous wealth of good will versus the tremendous corruption of the government. If they worked with us then we would finally start getting somewhere instead of repeating the same farce, the people should be directing the future of this country for the people.
And for those of you who say they don’t care about this cronyism I wonder do you care about the E1,000,000,000 of hard won taxpayers money missing in the NCH tender because it’s the other side of the same coin.
Any government made up of any party that doesn’t operate in our current corrupt manner would do much better that the current shower of crooks.
They lied . When asked about it they pretended they had no idea. They created a second email trail after the first and when investigated sent the second one and pretended the first one didn’t exist. This shows they attempted to cover up their lie. They cannot be trusted.
@Wade Wilson: well we already knew they couldn’t be trusted but this shows they aren’t competent enough to lie convincingly which is far more worrying.
Nobody cares.
@Daniel Roche: says the man who commented within 2 mins of the article going up… how sad is your life that you spend time commenting on articles you don’t give a fiddlers about?
@John Duggan: ya I’m a sad person,I commented on article that pop up,I really need to look at my sad life.
@Daniel Roche: so the article just opened all by itself did it?
And now you’re back again 6 minutes later on the article you care so little about?
Sad life.
@John Duggan: Ya that’s how the internet works.
@Daniel Roche: those that don’t care tend to support the government parties. Those that do care tend to be those who support opposition parties. Everyone should care however. It stinks of cronyism and corruption. The only issue for the government is that they were caught. They tried to lie their way out of it. Everyone should take issue with that.
@Andrew English: I don’t support either the government or the opposition and I really couldn’t careless. There is much bigger things they should be dealing with such, homelessness, our terrible heath system etc.
@Roy Dowling: They had decades to sort out those issues Roy. They have made things progressively worse though. Can’t see improvements being made now unfortunately.
@David Corrigan: So true.
@Andrew English: I don’t support either,I actually find it hard to support a party,I work in the private sector and believe this is a nothing story.
@David Corrigan: But things are better,why lie like.Are things better then the 80s or 90s,100% yes.
@Daniel Roche: I don’t think so Daniel. I emigrated in 2009 and plan to move again. The cost of living in this country is completely and totally out of control in my opinion.
@Daniel Roche: he apologized, the shinners apologized for going to a fake burial last year. People need to move on
@John Duggan: sure your just as bad, you have been commenting non-stop and belittling those that are of the opinion that they don’t care, saying I don’t care simply implies that this story is nothing but a storm in a teacup being hurled about by SF as if it’s a massive issue. The funniest part is that on the sad day for this country that SF take power they will hand out favours to people a lot worse. But I bet that’s different though.
@David Corrigan: I have a different experience,I’m a single Dad,I bought my house 3 years ago on my own,I love this country.
@Roy Dowling: you hurl from the ditch by the sound of it. Fair play to you. If you can’t see how rotten this current scandal is, it explains why we have the charlatans we have. I also work in the private sector. I don’t know many companies who are in a position to make up a job for an American citizen so she could bolster her own political career in the Biden administration by getting pally with Sam Power.
@Daniel Roche: I have the very same setup as yourself family wise and home wise. Bought in 2003 though. We have the makings of a great country for sure but its very badly managed by FF and FG for decades. I don’t like the high cost of living. I mean, we are taxed €160.00 per year to own a TV?!
@Roy Dowling: What is more important than rooting out corruption of the Government that runs the nation ?
@Daniel Roche: People do care, hence why the situation is the way it is…. If you dont care then move along, rather than getting into silly back and forth with people… Its very strange for one not to care, but care enough to get involved in debate…
@Daniel Roche: Clearly people care. You commented the exact same thing yesterday and as you could see from the thumbs people do care.
@Daniel Roche: I do.
@Daniel Roche: the Journal cares, hence this article they bothered fo wrote and you have the opportunity to comment on. As does RTE News, RTE Primetime, Virgin News, Newstalk, BBC NI and BBC England, from what I have seen reported.
You could assume that anyone clicking article or watching the item reported on televised news cares, because they’re bothering to read/view.
So, nobody cares you say?
@Daniel Roche: As sad as Coveney’s life at the moment. Varadkar looking at Coveney, wondering will the political sacrifice of Coveney appease the spineless one Martin.
@Patrick O Connell: Funny, but people need to move on only if it concerns FFG.
@Peter: I,m sure Coveney, Varadkar, Martin, the grassroots of FFG do not think it’s a storm in a tea cup. The Attorney General certainly did not think it was a storm in a tea cup. The spineless one Martin,s political survival depends on Varadkar. All the taxpayers money spent on special advisors… Martin, Varadkar, Coveney must be over the moon with that value for money. The advisers are more incompetent then the incompetent they advise.
When was the last time a vote of no confidence actually carried? I genuinely can’t remember. Anyone know?
@David F. Dwyer: not since 1966
Move on ffs. There’s more important government business than a woman that didn’t get a job.
@Martin O Connell: female unemployment is unimportant to you!?
@John Duggan: your missing the point troll.
@Martin O Connell: and your missing the joke
@Martin O Connell: ‘Martin likes been lied too’
Don’t be like Martin
@Martin O Connell: what government business is that so? You being the voice of reason and democracy.
@James Beattie: James is a troll.
Don’t be like James!!!!
@Martin O Connell: Translation – “keep giving the public cronyism and gombeenism, because I don’t care… Thanks”.
@That’s FineGaelness: as long as FF and FG keep the terrorist party out of government!!! That’s fine by me.
@Martin O Connell: Tell that to Coveney, and the spineless one Martin. How she didn’t get the job is the issue, which leads to the questions that has Coveney digging a deeper hole for himself, how she was considered for the job in the first place.
There’s another issue affecting the Govt – specifically the Greens, where their dear Leader & his leadership cabal have ignored as serious an example of misogony & chauvinism on the part of one of the Green Flock as is possible to imagine. That State & even private media is ignoring the issue tells us all we need to know about our 4th Estate.
This is the biggest NON STORY. Move on, we have bigger problems MUCH BIGGER! Wasting so much valuable time. All that’s happening here is that a bunch of “Z listers” getting a voice
@Koukliahills: PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!
@Koukliahills: What is more important than rooting out corruption of the Government that runs the nation ?
@Koukliahills: that’s exactly why it’s important, we do have bigger problems than this but that’s not the issue. The issue is a blatant abuse of power, and thankfully for your sake and all Irish citizens, this issue has come to light and is rightly been investigated and will hopefully mean that in the future, our representatives in government act in good faith for the greater good of Ireland.
@Koukliahills: What are you on about? How does this involve “Z listers”?
@James Beattie: this is not corruption in any way, shape or form. Maybe go & live in west Africa.
@Hotirish: Making up jobs to give to friends all funded by the tax payers
Then lie through your teeth about it
Then destroy the evidence
Nah, that’s not corruption in the land of FFG. That’s just normal
@James Beattie: ever heard of Trevor Ringland?
The media & sinn fein are collectively in witch-hunt mode. It doesn’t seem to me that Coveney was guilty of anything more than creating a bit of smoke & mirrors on engaging with someone about a job opportunity. Big deal!
Personally I think Coveney is one of the most able politicians we have, regardless of your political beliefs & the way he’s been hounded out here is pretty pathetic.
@Hotirish: So you’re fine with someone being corrupt as long as they’re useful? That’s the Phil Hogan excuse all over again.
@Hotirish: yep, I’m no fg fan at all but thought he proved particularly capable during Brexit
@David F. Dwyer: Any proof of the corruption or is that just your opinion.
@Daniel Roche: Proof like secretly giving Zappone the envoy job without competition? She was thanking him for it in March for god’s sake, four months before it was even announced she was getting it. And the best he can come out with is the gaping hole in his text messages of their correspondence? Oliver North was more plausible in his excuses.
@David F. Dwyer: Have you ever worked in the the private sector,this happens all the time.again please give me evidence.
@Daniel Roche: This was not the private sector and that does not excuse it anyway. I want evidence as well. Why should I or anyone take him at his word when he destroyed proof of his correspondence, what did he have to hide?
@Hotirish: and how much do fine gael pay you for your help
@Hotirish: I couldn’t agree more. Definitely seems like a witch hunt to hurt the government. Look, there is definitely lessons to be learned in that transparency is very important to people and the recruitment process should be followed as per the ones already in place.
Zappone is experienced in government, lives in NYC where the role is based, has campaigned for children and under privileged people all her political life….. she probably is the best person for the job. I’d say something if the role was for €150,000 but it’s for €15,000. I wouldn’t call that cronyism
Coveney has always appeared to me to be a person who genuinely wants to make a difference for this country. Yes, he certainly didn’t help himself here but I think his lesson has been learnt and SF should focus on what matters
@Dáibh Tett: Coveney stated that one of the reasons for her to get the job was that she lived in NY, but yest the Irish Taxpayer paid for her to say in a Queen Deluxe Room in the Fitzgerald Central Hotel, which was in the released documents. She also has a dubious expense claiming history. Also in the documents were lots of discussions about her remuneration, pension, expenses etc etc ..
As for that I dont personal think she was that great at anything.
Daniel McConnell: “The Zappone debacle is another example of FG rewarding political failure .Former minister’s record is not as stellar as some say, and her special envoy position deserves a better appointment process ”
https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-40349402.html
@Dáibh Tett: How can you say she is the best person for the job without speaking / meeting a single other candidate? That’s why a process called interviewing takes place, especially when the individual’s salary is drawn from public sector budget. Its an open competition, to have a fair and neutral selection process.
15k for 50 days work, 5k for 10 days work. If it sits within an established framework then associated rules / norms must apply. Or, more importantly, not be dismissed because publicly elected officials decide so.
The media is beholden to reporting the impartial truth to the public. The opposition to make the government accountable for its actions and curb abuses of power and position.
@Hotirish: jesus. Coventry has no confidence. What a disappointing as a minster. To think he was once taught as a leader of our country what a disaster that would have been. Same old same old
What is all this fuss about?. A position that offers less than a FAS scheme job and SF are dancing up and down looking for the Taoiseach to decide on having confidence in his Minister Simon for considering an able person to fill the post. It would cost more than the proposed allowance to advertise the job and use a consultant to help in the recruitment of a qualified candidate.
Thanks Simon for using your initiative.
@Irish big fellow: A position that offers less than a FAS scheme job that Zappone was desperate to get.
Have you ever heard the story of the man seen leaving a factory every evening pushing a wheelbarrow full of sawdust. People wondered why someone would steal sawdust. They were looking at the wrong thing.
@David F. Dwyer: Despite your wisdom, try not to bite the clickbait. Journal is full of these folk.
@Irish big fellow: You conveniently fail to mention the expenses. It’s going to cost a lot more to fill in the hole Coveney has dug for himself and F.G. As for Coveney’s initative…It has led to the involvement of the Attorney General to get Varadkar off the hook, A spineless Taoiseach having to defend F.G. , the inclusion of O’Donoghue, McGrath ( who knew nothing) , the second appearance of Coveney before a committee and only added to the Fiasco. Initiative..Christ help us if Coveney had brains .
The We Ourselves party calling on people to do this, that or the other: sounds ominous.
The government of a country is just as good as it’s people…
Lessons have to be learnt said the Taoiseach. But this government never learn so these are hollow words. As usual.
Prime time- would Miriam O Callaghan ever shut up. Just watched her messing up discussion between P Doherty and H Naughton.
Like we have been voting these muppeters out since 2021, why are they still here?
Lesson learned. Said sorry. Now move along.
Makes no difference if he gets sacke⁸d he still have his pension
I don’t believe a word off coveney’s explanation
Getting tired of this now, nothing will come of it, but the one person who should be focused on more is zappone,I mean the brass neck on her, no shame there only entitlement, but then again what’s new
“There can be no doubt in the public’s mind about how appointments are made,” according to Fine Gael deputy leader Micheál Martin. That’s the best yet!
Sinn Feinn are a bunch of wasters .
@: real good input there. Your logic is unquestionable.
@Andy mc Laughlin: thanks Andy .
Think the spineless one Martin and Varadkar would disagree with you..F.F. largest party in the 26 counties by one uncontested seat, F.G. third largest party . Sinn Fein second. Why do you think the spineless one Martin will not take Coveney and Varadkar to task.. It would cause an election..It would be the end of the spineless one and F.F.
What a charming comment how long did it take you to make that up
Spineless is right although he is performing a useful function he will be single handedly responsible for the demise of ff. Every cloud has a silver lining as they say
What a load of c r a p.
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