Zappone stays silent as pressure mounts on FG over appointment

The former TD has demonstrated in the past that she possesses political survival skills in abundance

Katerine Zappone was the one who approached Coveney in the first place about getting a UN role of some description. Picture: Maxwells

Katherine Zappone may be Ireland’s new special envoy for freedom of expression, but she has so far expressed no opinion on the matter that has caused considerable comment over the past week – the unorthodox nature of her appointment.

It has embarrassed Simon Coveney, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is only recently back from his UN-related work in Kenya and Somalia. It has annoyed Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who was not told by Coveney about ...