A Clare Government TD says he’d be stunned if Sinn Féin didn’t put forward a motion of no confidence in the Foreign Affairs Minister when the Dáil returns.
It follows Simon Coveney’s appearance at an Oireachtas Committee yesterday where he apologised for contributing to the Katherine Zappone controversy.
Senior Ministers have been meeting at Dublin Castle as the Katherine Zappone controversy continues to cast a shadow over the Government.
Most Ministers declined to speak to reporters expect for Green party leader Eamon Ryan, who says he still supports Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney and feels it’s time to move on.
Minister Simon Coveney yesterday apologised for the political embarrassment he’d caused and the mistakes he’d made in the handling of the appointment for the UN Special Envoy role.
He denied, however, that correspondence with Ms Zappone in March was a job offer or that she lobbied for the role.
The Taoiseach has admitted the approach and process around the selection of Katherine Zappone was wrong.
In a statement last night, Micheal Martin said any position of special envoy offered in future should only come through a ‘fully open, transparent and advertised competition’.
Clare’s Independent TD, Michael McNamara believes that’s the right way forward.
It’s expected that the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs will invite Katherine Zappone to answer questions about the appointment next week, something Clare’s Fine Gael TD thinks is unnecessary.
The ongoing controversy is likely to feature at Fianna Fail’s Party think in which is taking place in Cavan tomorrow, while Minister Simon Coveney could also face a motion of no confidence when the Dáil returns.
Clarecastle Deputy Joe Carey says it’s time to move on, as there’s much more pressing issues facing the country, but he’d be stunned if Sinn Fein didn’t put forward a no confidence motion.
