Daniel McConnell: Varadkar will decide Simon Coveney's fate
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney following his appearance before the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday over the appointment of Katherine Zappone as UN special envoy. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins
Simon Coveney has humbly argued that the Katherine Zappone appointment was not merely a sweet deal for a friend of Fine Gael, but any reasonable reading of the evidence points to the opposite conclusion.
Mr Coveney again appeared before the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee, saying his “sloppiness” in answering the committee’s questions a week earlier had necessitated his return.
His apology for “contributing to the controversy” – the appointment of Ms Zappone as a UN special envoy without ever advertising the job – was a marked change to the cranky and defensive tone he had adopted up to this point.
Between the release of more than 150 documents on Monday and his two-hour appearance, Mr Coveney’s account of what happened was at least more complete than it was a week ago.
He succeeded in not making the situation any worse. No new lines of inquiry opened up during the committee hearing. He stopped the bleeding.
However, unfortunately for him, while he did not inflict any new injuries on the Government, he certainly didn’t dispel the notion of the rather dubious manner in which this position originated.
What is abundantly clear is that Katherine Zappone wanted some kind of a UN role. She reached out to Paschal Donohoe for advice, who put her in touch with Mr Coveney.
Mr Coveney and his top official kicked around the idea and by March 3, an
offer was made to Ms Zappone, who responded the next day with what the minister called a “very enthusiastic” text.
The implication of his comment was that she was jumping the gun and no formal offer had been made.
However, importantly, Mr Coveney saw fit not to dissuade Ms Zappone of her view that the role had been offered, not then or in the coming weeks and months.
By the time the matter got to Cabinet on July 22, it was a case of who Ms Zappone hadn’t spoken to as opposed to who she had.
The Opposition clearly doesn't accept there is nothing to see here.
Sinn Féin is reportedly eyeing up the idea of tabling a motion of no confidence when the Dáil comes back next week.
Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats was similarly not reassured by what he heard at the committee.
“Simon Coveney has undermined his position substantially here. He has to come into the Dáil and answer further questions. I have no confidence in him,” he said.
Whether he has to come in and answer more questions or has to face a confidence motion in the Dáil remains to be seen, but there have been questions as to whether or not he should be sacked.
As of now, there is zero appetite in the Taoiseach’s mind to entertain a sacking.
Yes, he is Taoiseach and technically he has the power to remove ministers who serve in his Government.
In reality, in this three-way coalition, were Mr Martin to sack Mr Coveney, a Fine Gael minister, it would mark the end of the coalition and spark a general election.
Well, it would unless Leo Varadkar gave his okay to oust Mr Coveney.
In coalitions such as this, it is not Mr Martin who decides which Fine Gael ministers serve in Government, that is the prerogative of Mr Varadkar, as it is for Eamon Ryan and the Green Party ministers.
Simon Coveney, in reality, serves not at the pleasure of the Taoiseach but at that of his party leader.
Relations between Mr Coveney and Mr Varadkar have undoubtedly been strained by this sorry saga, particularly in Mr Varadkar’s self-serving move to release text messages last week, which took the spotlight off him and placed it firmly on Mr Coveney.
For now, Mr Coveney retains the confidence of his party leader but given Mr Varadkar's previous ruthless treatment of former allies, that could change.
In the coming days, it will be the Tánaiste and not the Taoiseach who will decide Mr Coveney’s fate.
