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Ministerial Appointments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021

Thursday, 9 September 2021

Questions (404, 410, 411, 412, 418, 476)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

404. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the recruitment process used to appoint a person (details supplied) to the position of special envoy for freedom of expression; the location of the advertisement; the number of persons that applied for the job; the person or body that carried out the interviews; the person or body that made the final decision; the roles and responsibilities of the special envoy for freedom of expression; and the person or body to which they will report. [41615/21]

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Réada Cronin

Question:

410. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will publish the documentation and records of communication in relation to the selection, approach to and appointment of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41732/21]

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Réada Cronin

Question:

411. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the nature of the work done by a person (details supplied) in relation to the Irish UN Security Council seat alluded to by him in an RTÉ radio interview; if this work was paid and or expensed; if so, the sum involved; the advertisements and tendering process including the number of tenders for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41733/21]

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Réada Cronin

Question:

412. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department or a State agency booked or paid for an event (details supplied); if so, the date the booking was made; the reason for the event and the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41734/21]

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Réada Cronin

Question:

418. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of formal and informal roles held by a person (details supplied) in the name of his Department or associated agency in the lifetime of this Government; when they were appointed to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41908/21]

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Carol Nolan

Question:

476. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a list of Ireland’s special envoys and the specific remit of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43020/21]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 404, 410, 411, 412, 418 and 476 together.

I briefed the Oireachtas Joint Committee of Foreign Affairs and Defence in detail on this issue on 7 September 2021 and my statement to the Committee is available on the Oireachtas website. In September 2019, then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Ms Katherine Zappone T.D., was appointed Special Envoy for Ireland’s candidature for election to the UN Security Council for the 2021-2022 term. This decision was taken in order to bolster Ireland’s profile in the final months of the campaign and underlined the importance attached to our candidature across the whole of Government. During her nine months in this role, then Minister Zappone led twenty-five bilateral meetings during which our candidature was raised, mainly with Ministerial-level representatives of countries in which Ireland does not have resident Embassies. These meetings took place in the margins of the UN General Assembly in September 2019, at the International Conference on Population and Development in Nairobi in November 2019, and in parallel with official engagements in New York in March 2020.The role was additional to the then Minister’s existing responsibilities and was not remunerated; as is normal for any person travelling on official business, associated travel expenses were covered. The appointment ended on Ireland’s election to the Council in June 2020. On 24 February 2021, during a conversation with the then Secretary General of my Department, I asked the Secretary General whether former Minister Zappone could support Ireland's team at the Permanent Mission to the UN in New York. He advised me that he would reflect on it. Several days later, the Secretary General informed me that the United States planned to appoint a Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons. In that context, he raised the possibility of exploring whether a similar position for Ireland might add value to the existing work of the Department in this area. I approached Ms. Zappone and asked if she would be interested in principle in assuming a position relating to LGBTI rights, should the Department develop such a role. She responded positively, at which point officials in my Department took the process forward.The debate on human rights is increasingly polarised internationally and there is debate significant push back against the very definition of human rights and gender equality. Civil society space is shrinking in many countries; and the rights of LGBTI+ persons are being undermined. As a result, many States that share Ireland’s approach to human rights have appointed Special Envoys or Ambassadors at large with mandates in these areas.In this context, officials in my Department developed a mandate for a Special Envoy role focused on freedom of opinion and expression, encompassing the human rights of LGBTI+ persons, civil society space, freedom of the media and freedom of association. It was envisaged that the Envoy would engage with peers across the EU and in other countries, and represent Ireland in targeted bilateral engagements and at specific international fora including the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee; the Commission on the Status of Women; and the UN Human Rights Council. It was also expected that the Envoy would support international advocacy initiatives around key events such as World Press Freedom Day; International Women’s Day; Pride month; and International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Supporting international aspects of Ireland’s National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy would also have been a key element of the role. The proposed remuneration was based on the midpoint of the Civil Service Principal Officer pay scale, excluding the two Long Service Increments. The proposal to appoint former Minister Zappone as Special Envoy was approved by Government at a meeting of Cabinet on 27 July 2021. Ms Zappone declined the position on 4 August 2021. I can confirm that all records in relation to the appointment of former Minister Zappone as Special Envoy on Freedom of Opinion and Expression that are held by my Department, and by me, have been made publicly available on the Department’s website since 6 September 2021.I can also confirm that Ms Zappone did not hold any other formal or informal position in my Department during the lifetime of this Government.

Ireland currently has two Special Envoys. Mr. Tom Arnold is serving as Government Special Envoy on Food Systems, a role which was jointly proposed by the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and which is linked to preparations for the UN Food Systems Summit 2021 on 23 September next, and the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021 in December. Mr. Kenneth Thompson is serving as Special Envoy for francophone Africa and the Sahel, a role linked to Ireland’s term on the Security Council.

Finally, I wish to state that my Department had no role in relation to organising or paying for the private event referred to by the Deputy.

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