Katherine Zappone Envoy Gig

Yurt2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117692347#Comment_117692347

From her website, no law degree and has never pracitced as a lawyer:

• 1995 Smurfit School of Business, University College Dublin MBA First Place, First Class Honours
• 1986 Religion and Education, Boston College PhD
• 1978 Religious Studies and Education, Catholic University of America MA 
• 1976 Theology and Psychology, Seattle University BA Summa Cum Laude

https://www.katherinezappone.ie/bio/

The website very much reads like she's on the job hunt and no doubt the envoy gig was a shop-window opportunity for her.

Dempo1

You'd think the Indo would have the decency to leave this story alone for the bank Holiday Monday, well that's what FG we're hoping for as it would seem both they and the Actual Taoiseach (Go figure) hope we'll all forget about it and it will just go away if ignored.

Thankfully John Dowling @ the Indo didn't get the memo.

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/government-aims-to-smother-latest-row-about-zappones-job-by-simply-ignoring-it-40709594.html

Miriam O'Callaghan, "Genuinely" won't be pleased with this photo appearing in today's Indo 😏

newcavanman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117681313#Comment_117681313

What exact work did she do in Jobstown that saved us a fortune?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694071#Comment_117694071

She got everyone in Jobs Town a Job perhaps 🤔😉

touts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694071#Comment_117694071

Maybe she forgot to submit her usual expenses for attending a meeting there?

Dempo1

I missed this little snippet from the Irish Times yesterday.

Coveney under pressure to answer questions on Zappone job

Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee have all requested a hearing on matter

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney is coming under increasing pressure to appear before an Oireachtas committee to answer questions about the appointment of Katherine Zappone as a special envoy.

There is a growing consensus amongst members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs that an early meeting must be convened as the controversy over Ms Zappone’s new role as special envoy to the UN for freedom of expression continues.

It is understood Fianna Fáil, Social Democrats and Independent members of the committee have all requested a hearing.

A number of committee members said they had written to the chair, Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan, asking for an early meeting with Mr Coveney.

This could be interesting albeit the chair of the committee is none other than FG"s Charlie Flanagan? He might just be bitter enough to agree 😉

Surely harris position is untenable now,given FF have lost 2 ministers over alot less.

(Who leaked the story about the 'sting' though)😅

Can the taoiseach request his phone to examine the extent of leaking over long timeframe

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694117#Comment_117694117

Not sure if its Been confirmed Harris is the Leak albeit he did Leo no favours on that other little leakage matter still under investigation.

I get a sense Teflon Leo has a wardrobe full of enemies within FG ranks waiting to pounce, Simon Coveney's ambitions are abundantly clear but he's damaged those ambitions with this farcical debacle, the cynic in me thinks this actually suits Leo's but ultimately its remaining in power that will Trump whatever the outcome and only because they are terrified of an election being called, FF in the same boat.

Will an individual go however🤔, that remains to be seen, None of wink & Nod brigade is known for their Humility 😉

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694144#Comment_117694144

Its as good as confirmed its harris....in same way gerry adams was in the ra

Its a farcial position,as if harris geos,then varadkar is toast (as what he done was worse).....feel kinda bad for odonogue as his deceit to expose harris leaking,was in turn.....leaked

Dempo1

I wouldn't be feeling sorry fo Paschal, despite his all things sweet, sugar and spice persona he's no shrinking violet.

Speaking of Toast, just had some, I suspect a FG stalwarts will be having weetabix with WARM milk this morning to settle rumbling stomachs 😁😁

McMurphy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694163#Comment_117694163

Going to be an interesting week ahead on what should really be relatively quiet time (scandal wise) from government qtrs.

The govt of confusion and chaos refuses to disappoint though. They simply cannot help themselves.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694266#Comment_117694266

It certainly will be an interesting week, almost a shame Dail in resess 😁

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694117#Comment_117694117

Maybe the taoiseach could request his own phone!!

Wake up lads ...D'Examiner has been getting a lot of scoups lately.

And surprise surprise The Irish Times are getting the hump because of it.

'Sources close to the government say'... Me hole... Meehawl !

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694347#Comment_117694347

It is true to say D"examiner has had some excellent scoups over the past year and too their credit have been quite vocal on these Shenanigans, particularly given Coveney's base. They may have taken the Cork out of the Title, but certainly not out of the Bottle so to speak 😉

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694266#Comment_117694266

I get the sense Zappone may be under pressure to fall on her sword to end this.

Caquas

The story about Cabinet leaks is full of irony.

We appoint a UN Special Envoy for Freedom of Speech but our Constitution - as amended by referendum in 1997 - imposes an omerta for Cabinet decisions so Ministers must treat their discussions as confidential. In reality, the law is prefectly suited to our Ministers - every Cabinet meeting is as leaky as a colander but woe betide any journalist who actually tries to publish inside information that was not approved by the Minister's media handlers. Of course, the leak itself is not covered by the Constitutional ban but the media cannot publish the name for fear of our draconian defamation laws. The Zapper would get a warm welcome from the dictators of this world if she could explain to them how our courts suppress free speech without attracting international opporprium.

Despite the best efforts of FG, most people understand that the leak was not about the decision itself - that was made public an hour later - but about the fact that the Taoiseach was blindsided by the proposal. Martin wants to downplay that issue but is he the first Taoiseach to be railroaded in this manner? I don't believe Dev or Lemass would have tolerated this hustle. And was the leaker wrong in attributing the proposal to Varadkar? Of course, it was technically Coveney's decision but I wonder who really pushed this idea. Varadkar owes Zappone for sticking the knife into Enda so stealthily.

And what about those pension contributions which we are now told she won't get? They could be worth far more than 15,000 Euro. Why would an official statement volunteer false information about such a sensitive issue? Did she get pension contributions for her work on the UN Security Council election? For that matter, what exactly did she do during that gig?

Art. 28.4.3

The confidentiality of discussions at meetings of the Government shall be respected in all circumstances save only where the High Court determines that disclosure should be made in respect of a particular matter –

i      in the interests of the administration of justice by a Court, or

ii      by virtue of an overriding public interest, pursuant to an application in that behalf by a tribunal appointed by the Government or a Minister of the Government on the authority of the Houses of the Oireachtas to inquire into a matter stated by them to be of public importance.

Caquas

Now I'm even more confused. 😣

John Downing, the Indo's most experienced Pol. Corr. , says

As things stand, Ms Zappone will, despite strong opposition criticisms, become Ireland’s new United Nations’ envoy on women’s, gay and LGBT rights.

I can't imagine John Downing is pulling this out of the air. If he is right, then she is being given a completely different role. As if we needed more proof that this job was made up for her benefit.

I completely believe his main thesis - the Government are desparate to stop the media coverage of this fiasco which is now much bigger than a makey-up job for a failed politician. Trust among the coalition parties, never high, is sinking faster than FF and Greens poll ratings. And FG is riven by personal rivalries.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/government-aims-to-smother-latest-row-about-zappones-job-by-simply-ignoring-it-40709594.html

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694656#Comment_117694656

I posted a snippet of this article earlier and noticed that new discription of the Roll, perhaps government media handlers think this will make these Shenanigans more palatable 🤔

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694543#Comment_117694543

That was an exhausting read but points well made and taken 😁

zimmermania

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117689240#Comment_117689240

Not true,we do not know how many days at 300 a pop she would work,we do not know what secretarial costs or airline and accommodation costs.

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117679092#Comment_117679092

Failure to adequately regulate the quality of the blocks is absolutely a State failure.

Dempo1

Coveney and Varadkar have been in power for too long and it’s really starting to show

Fionnán Sheahan

1

The recent appointment of Katherine Zappone to a Special Envoy role has attracted significant levels of public criticism. Photo: Gareth Chaney

August 02 2021 02:30 AM

Everyone in Fine Gael knows who is spinning against their colleagues at the Cabinet table. The whole of Leinster House knows too. 

The indiscreet minister, who leaks like a sieve, is a running joke in political circles. The same minister seems to spend an inordinate amount of time preening their own ego, building their own profile and currying favour for their own benefit. They take strategic spinning to a higher level. 

Little, if anything, can be done about it in the party because the leader – who is also the former Taoiseach, current Tánaiste, and future Taoiseach – is under investigation for leaking a confidential document.

Unfortunately article is premium so just copied a snippet, so much for a quite B/H Monday 😊

FoFo1254122

Why has the lady in question not the decency to withdraw her name - everyone involved here are showing their true colours

like pigs at the trough

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117694071#Comment_117694071

Herself and her wife Ann Marie Gilligan set up An Cosan, to provide training and education to those would have typically been excluded from further and higher education. They provided training to thousands of people, mainly single mothers initially, but broadening their reach over time. They got many people into employment that would otherwise would never have had a chance of getting decent employment. They set up community creches to again ensure that people could get out to work without the horrendous commercial childcare costs, which just couldn't be paid from low wage incomes.

It was a huge achievement and their huge legacy continues today.

Having said all this, this appointment stinks.

FishOnABike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117676003#Comment_117676003

That doesn't work if you're applying for a seat on the secondary school transport scheme. It is measured by the shortest route.

FoFo1254122

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117695319#Comment_117695319

Had a look at their website including latest accounts

So basically they used tax payers money to subsidise a model that could not due to the harsh realities of the world be reproduced across the country

now if they achieved something without suckling on the state teat, that I would respect.

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117695319#Comment_117695319

Zappone cant be criticised for what she achieved in An Cosan in Tallaght. iirc Senator Lynn Ruane credits Zappone with her helping her out when she was a teenage single mother and encouraging her to do a degree at Trinity using the creche facilities provided by An Cosan to make it possible.

But this seems to be a case of a community activist who moved into politics and then got a taste for unvouched expenses. She was barely a wet day in the Dail and a row erupted for her claiming the higher rate of travel expenses for living more than 25km from the Dail, the Sunday Times tested this claim from her house to the Dail and it came up as 22km. Nonetheless Zappone still claimed that she lived more than 25km away and as a result she got an extra 80,000 euro in travel expenses over the lifetime of that Dail.

Iif anyone here wants to check out the accuracy of that Sunday Times story then here is her house for sale right now in Brittas, Co.Dublin. Put a marker on Google Maps and it will show two routes to the Dail -via the N7 (20.2km) and via the N81 (22.2kms) neither of which are the 25kms required to claim the higher rate of travel expenseshttps://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/the-shanty-slievethoul-brittas-county-dublin-d24a062/4506696

So Zappone has already dipped the taxpayer for 80k that she wasnt entitled to. And now she is looking for more unvouched expenses from the Irish taxpayer while she lives in New York, one of the most expensive cities in the world. If she has already done the taxpayer for 80k imagine the damage she could do with a credit card on Manhattan island, a place where you could easily spend $800 on a haircut or $500 on a steak once you know someone else is paying for it.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117696181#Comment_117696181

I tend to agree that it's unfair to be critical of anyone who has achieved good things in life. My own opinion on this sorry state of affairs is not personal, I know little about the lady and am far more concerned, at not only the Sequence of events, the appointment and the embarrassing defence of said appointment. There's clearly unanswered questions 😉

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117696039#Comment_117696039

There was no taxpayers money when they started out. There was no taxpayer support for education of women in Tallaght.

It is an amazing achievement, and I'd challenge anyone on this thread taking shots at her to show a comparable matching achievement.

Shame this current stuff is a stain on her legacy.

Gen.Zhukov

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117696181#Comment_117696181

Dear Jesus,

How did she even manage to survive living in such horrendous conditions. No wonder she went back to the US. A dumpster in East Harlem would be better than living in the abject squalor of Brittas.

Yep, she's a real player alright. Probably can't sleep worrying about the people in Tallaght.