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07th Sep 2021

“Lessons need to be learned” – Taoiseach reacts to Coveney’s appearance before Oireachtas Committee

Stephen Porzio

Micheál Martin

“There can be no doubt in the public’s mind about how appointments are made by government in future.”

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said “lessons need to be learned” by the government amidst the ongoing Simon Coveney / Katherine Zappone row.

Foreign Affairs Minister Coveney spoke before an Oireachtas committee on Tuesday morning where he acknowledged creating a “political embarrassment” over the controversy surrounding the special envoy role offered to Katherine Zappone.

Sinn Féin has been among those responding with criticism, with party spokesperson John Brady calling on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to “root out cronyism at the heart of his government” and restore credibility.

On Tuesday, a statement was issued from a spokesperson for the Taoiseach which said the approach and process surrounding the selection of a UN part-time Special Envoy was wrong and “should not have happened in the way it did”.

“The Minister for Foreign Affairs has apologised to the Taoiseach and Minister [Eamon] Ryan for this,” the statement reads.

“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.

“That said, lessons need to be learned by the government on the handling of this issue.”

The statement also said that any position of special envoy offered in future should only come through a fully open, transparent and advertised competition.

There will be a full review of the role of special envoys and their use by government, it added.

“Perception does matter in public life and appointments must be, and seen to be, fully open and transparent,” the spokesperson for the Taoiseach also said.

“There can be no doubt in the public’s mind about how appointments are made by government in future.”

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