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

We can do that later. Katherine Zappone conducted work for Ireland at the UN, a fact alluded to by the Minister when he spoke about her role relating to the effort to ensure we were successful in respect of our place on the Security Council when she was a Minister in the Fine Gael-led Government. Was the Minister given any advice by Department officials or did it occur to him whether she was entitled to seek to look, suggest or investigate the concept of a position within the UN in light of the fact there is a one-year cooling-off period for Ministers during which they are not allowed to engage in any such discussion around the prospect or concept of working within the UN or public bodies with which they interacted as Ministers? As the Minister is aware, the handbook contains a provision and, as the Standards In Public Office Commission, SIPO, would allude to, there is legislation around a cooling-off period. I know it caused some controversy in the past year when former Deputy John Deasy initiated the concept of lengthening that cooling-off period. Was the Minister aware this possibly contradicted the thrust and detail of that legislation and that this may still be an issue?