John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for attending the meeting. It is unfortunate this meeting could not have been held earlier, as it has been an issue of serious concern during the summer months. Many outstanding questions need to be answered with respect to the creation of a well-paid position for a friend, a former Cabinet colleague of the Minister's, which was not openly advertised or subject to competition. Certainly there was no transparency around the whole process and even to this date, there is still an attempt to deny any notion of transparency.

I have a number of questions for the Minister which I hope he will answer fully. The Minister had a brief conversation with Katherine Zappone last summer. When did that conversation take place? Was it before or after we had secured our seat on the UN Security Council in June? The Minister said he spoke to Katherine Zappone again in February. On what specific date in February was that and who initiated that conversation? Was it the Minister or did Katherine Zappone reach out to him?

The Minister said with respect to that conversation he did not feel Katherine Zappone was lobbying for the position and he made reference to that specific conversation but he did not make reference to the conversation he had last summer. Did he think she was lobbying? Lobbying is clearly defined in the Regulation of Lobbying Act. Did she specifically ask for a position within the UN or for a position to be made up? When did the Minister offer the position in principle? Can he give that exact date? When did he offer that position to Katherine Zappone?

As for the issue with the Tánaiste, when did the Minister notify the Tánaiste he had been in conversation with Katherine Zappone? When was the Tánaiste informed she had agreed to take the position in principle? Can the Minister give exact dates in that respect?

Regarding Katherine's Zappone's event in the Merrion Hotel, was the Minister invited to that gig in the hotel? Obviously at one point Katherine Zappone came back to Ireland from New York. At any point prior to Cabinet approval between February and July did the Minister have any other further communication with Katherine Zappone by way of email, phone call or in person? Many demands have been for the full attendance at the event in the Merrion Hotel to be made public. Does the Minister support that call? Does he think there should be full transparency around the attendance list? I find it bizarre, and the Minister might clarify this point, that he, a personal friend and someone who is in regular contact with Katherine Zappone, may not have been invited to that event yet we are now aware of some of the other people who have stated they had either been invited or were in attendance.

As regards freedom of information, FOI, requests that have been made to the Department by several journalists, it appears that the Department is shutting down requests relating to the appointment by publishing redacted records and thus closing off the right of appeal of the requesters. It certainly appears that the redactions are being made on fairly spurious grounds. Why are FOI requests being redacted? Does the Minister support that practice? Will he make all documentation relating to the entire process available for public scrutiny?

I find it bizarre that a position such as that in question would be created for a former Cabinet colleague. It is a position that no one within the Department had thought necessary until it was created. I am sure the Department and the Minister have been contacted by many members of the public who have serious expertise in many different fields and who have offered their services. I find it bizarre that those individuals were never considered for any special envoy position, yet a former colleague, a person with whom the Minister was in regular contact, made an offer of her services and this position was created. How often are the Minister or his Department contacted by people offering their services, expertise, knowledge and skills? What process is taken to analyse those proposals?

Two other UN envoys are in place. I ask the Minister to outline and expand on how they were appointed.