Coveney had no contact with Zappone while in New York on UN business

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said he has had no contact with Katherine Zappone while he was in New York to attend United Nations meetings.

Mr Coveney said “I’ve been busy this week” and added “I haven’t spoken to her”.

The Government has gone through almost two months of controversy over its bid to appoint Ms Zappone - a former Independent minister in the last Fine Gael-led Government - as a special envoy on freedom of expression.

The role would have involved New York-based Ms Zappone liaising with the UN.

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The controversy first arose when it emerged that Taoiseach Micheál Martin was not aware of the plan to appoint Ms Zappone ahead of the Cabinet meeting where the decision was made on July 27th.

Mr Coveney has since apologised for his handling of the planned appointment which Ms Zappone later declined and he faced down a Dáil motion of no confidence tabled by Sinn Féin.

The Government has denied Opposition claims that the attempt to appoint Ms Zappone amounted to cronyism.

Mr Coveney has denied that he effectively offered her the role before his officials carried out the work to create it and that Ms Zappone’s contacts with him amounted to lobbying for the job.

He told the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs Ms Zappone was mistaken in her belief that she had been offered the job last March as implied by a text message she sent to him.

Ms Zappone turned down an invitation to appear before the committee. Mr Coveney was asked if she should have agreed to appear.

He replied: “As the Taoiseach said Katherine Zappone is a private citizen.” Pressed on the matter he said: “Like I said my view on this is the same as the Taoiseach’s. When somebody leaves public life, they’re a private citizen and they make their own decisions.”