Courtney McGrailDear Editor, Mary Kenny is to be congratulated on her article when she asks the question: “Is Katherine Zappone fit for her Government job?”, and also to Elizabeth Twomey, in a follow up letter.
Minister Zappone was a commissioner with the Irish Human Rights Commission (2002-2012) and has held leadership positions in the NWCI and the Centre for Progressive Change. She is also a co-founder of An Cosán, which is a community education and childcare organisation, a State-supported group.
Minister Zappone is a self-declared feminist. This is, of course, entirely reasonable, as there are still many issues to be confronted.
Such issues will often be in conflict with the interests of the family, of men, and of children. In too many cases, perceived advances in the position of women comes with a cost to children, who are obliged to pick up the tab.
Any Minister for Children must ensure that the best interests of children take priority. It is that Minister’s duty to ensure that this happens. However, we now have the debacle of the crèches, the fact that parents (and grandparents) are being discriminated against, instead of being rewarded for doing their duty to their children and to future generations. Some back-peddling is not enough. We have further the repeated calls of the Minister for the repeal of pro-life legislation, protecting the lives of unborn children and their mothers.
It is incredible that a person, with views that are likely to be in conflict with the objectives of the post, should be appointed to such a position.
We do not know if this appointment is due to the paucity of talent, or of power, available to An Taoiseach. However, the views of Deputy Zappone, thanks to her own frankness (which is to be welcomed), will have been known to An Taoiseach.
Either way, it may be concluded that the Minister had made a fundamental error.
In my view, the fundamental error that has been made, has been made, not by the Minister, but by An Taoiseach, in appointing such a person to this post in the fist instance.
I am asking that the present Minister, Deputy Katherine Zappone, be forthwith replaced, before further damage is done to the interests of children.
Yours etc.,
Donal O’Driscoll,
Blackrock,
Co. Dublin