Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair and the Minister. The Minister might confirm two points from his statement. He stated he did not know Samantha Power well enough and it would have been inappropriate anyway to refer a text message he got from Katherine Zappone asking for an introduction. Despite believing that the text message he received on 22 February looking for an introduction was inappropriate, the Minister still considered her sufficiently worthy of being appointed as a UN envoy that he asked his Secretary General, on 24 February, to go off and develop the role.

The Minister does not believe that Katherine Zappone was lobbying as he did not feel under pressure. As a Minister for the past ten years and a Member of Parliament for over 20 years, does he accept that seeking to influence senior Ministers - the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Finance and Tánaiste - and the ambassador to the UN in relation to the awarding of a prestigious jobs constitutes lobbying?