Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his presentation and for the clarifications he has sought to provide us today. As I have said before, I found the appointment bizarre, notwithstanding, as the Minister has mentioned, other successful envoy appointments that have been made previously. I also found the Cabinet approval of the appointment bizarre. I am glad that Katherine Zappone recognised that there was not sufficient and widespread support for her appointment, and subsequently declined the role.

I have some questions arising from what the Minister said. I might give all of them for him to answer rather than taking up time answering some and not answering others. The Minister said he spoke to Katherine Zappone in February. He said she told him of the work she was doing in the UN system. What date in February was that? What work in the UN system was she doing? Was it full time or part time?

The Minister said he did not consider that Katherine Zappone was lobbying but it obviously planted a seed in his head given that he took up the matter later in February when he asked the Secretary General to give his opinion on whether he thought she could play a role in the Department's workings in the UN. What date was that? Did the Minister discuss the matter again with the Secretary General or was it only mentioned again to him when the Minister asked that he agree terms and conditions of the appointment which the Minister had offered to Katherine Zappone at that stage in principle? On what specific date did the Minister offer that role in principle?

Can the Minister inform us when the Tánaiste became aware the role of such an envoy was under consideration in the first instance? Notwithstanding that, if he was not aware of that aspect of the work going on within the Department, when did he become aware or informed that an offer had been made in principle or subject to Cabinet approval to Katherine Zappone? When the role was offered, the Minister outlined it was subject to Cabinet approval. Was that normally the case in previous instances or was it specifically the case in this one?

With respect to the members of the Cabinet not being informed, I can accept the Minister's bona fides in that regard. It is unfortunate but I know a mistake may have been made. However, I understand that the Minister, or somebody, prepared a memo for Cabinet that included appointments to various ambassadorial roles. Why did it not include this appointment also?