Zappone mentioned UN appointment to Tánaiste 11 days before Cabinet meeting 

Newly-released texts show that Leo Varadkar then raised the issue with Simon Coveney eight days before Taoiseach Micheál Martin learned of the appointment

The messages were released by Leo Varadkar this afternoon as controversy continues to swirl around Katherine Zappone's appointment. Photo: Gareth Chaney

Katherine Zappone mentioned her appointment as UN Special Envoy to Tánaiste Leo Varadkar 11 days before the appointment came to Cabinet.

Newly-released texts show that Mr Varadkar then raised the issue with Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney three days later, eight days before Taoiseach Micheál Martin learned of the appointment.

The messages were released by Mr Varadkar this afternoon as controversy continues to swirl around the appointment following Mr Coveney's appearance at the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

The messages begin on Friday July 16 when, Ms Zappone texted Mr Varadkar:

“Hi Leo, from the Piglet [a Dublin bar]! I was expecting to hear from Simon C about my appointment as Special Envoy for Human Rights and LGBTQ+ issues. Have you heard anything? If you around next Wednesday hope to meet you.”

Mr Varadkar responded asking about the legality of the event referred to on Wednesday - Ms Zappone's gathering of 50 people in the Merrion Hotel.

“Is it definitely legal. Probably ok. Organised outdoor gathering of fewer than 200 people?”

Ms Zappone replied that the hotel had confirmed the compliance of the event.

Three days later, the Tánaiste texted Mr Coveney to say he was attending the event and asked if Mr Coveney was aware of the envoy appointment, to which Mr Coveney replied:

“Yeah, I spoke to Katherine tonight. She’s meeting Niall Burgess (the secretary-general of the Department) on Wednesday to finalise a 12 month contract to be an Irish Govt Special Envoy for ‘Freedom of Expression and Human Rights’ (with a focus on LGBT). She seems very happy. I plan to have it in a memo for Govt next week. SC.”

Ms Zappone later texted Mr Varadkar about the event and confirmed the time and place.

The texts appear to contradict the explanation given by Mr Coveney to the committee yesterday, where he said he texted Mr Varadkar to say that "we were looking at a special envoy position" for Ms Zappone. However, her meeting with the Department secretary-general has been taken by some to mean the agreement was already made.

Earlier today, Mr Coveney confirmed that he and Mr Varadkar were aware of the intention to appoint Ms Zappone as Special Envoy for Freedom of Expression for a number of weeks before the Taoiseach was “blindsided” at Cabinet in July.

However, he insisted he did not brief Mr Varadkar in detail on the matter.

“I got a text from the Tánaiste a number of days before he was to meet Katherine Zappone in Dublin.

"I didn't actually know that it was going to be an event. He texted me to simply say, 'I am meeting Katherine, in a few days time and she said Dublin. Is there anything you want to brief me on'.

“And I responded to say that we're working with Katherine Zappone in the department on a potential role, a special envoy, but I'd be bringing the details to government in the coming weeks, and that was it."