Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy TD has said the revelation that Leo Varadkar attended a private event organised by Katherine Zappone, which was possibly in breach of Covid guidelines and took place just six days before she was appointed to a lucrative UN role by government, means that the appointment is “untenable”.

He also said that there is a need for greater transparency and accountability in how appointments to lucrative positions are made.

Teachta Carthy said:

“The more we hear about the appointment of Katherine Zappone to a made-up position, the worse it gets. 

“This is like a replay of last year’s event at Clifton, as are the subsequent excuses  – this was a private bash in an exclusive hotel where the elite and insiders think the rules and regulations faced by ordinary people don’t apply to them.  

“The appointment of an ex-Minister to a role paid by public money on the back of that event is what blatant cronyism looks like.  

“This is the culture of doing favours for friends and insiders which are then paid for out of the public purse.  

“Fine Gael is so long in government, so out of touch that they can’t see why appointing a friend and former colleague to a made-up position paid for by public money without due process or transparency is wrong and unacceptable. 

“The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste may want us to move on from this scandal, but if we do that then this kind of thing will keep happening again and again.  

“There has to be accountability and there has to be change in how such appointments are made so they are not used as rewards for favoured friends. In the first instance the appointment of Katherine Zappone to this made up position must be reversed.”