Donohoe defends appointment of Zappone to UN position

Former minister in previous administration appointed as UN special envoy for freedom of expression, amid claims of cronyism as job was not advertised to public

Katherine Zappone, a former children's minister in the last Fine Gael-led government, is to be appointed as the UN special envoy for freedom of expression. File picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has defended the government's appointment of a former minister to a new UN position.

Katherine Zappone, a former children's minister in the last Fine Gael-led government, is to be appointed as the UN special envoy for freedom of expression, with the Cabinet approving the proposal brought by Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney today.