Concerns about Zappone’s ability to promote freedom of expression

After former cabinet minister Katherine Zappone’s controversial appointment as special envoy for freedom of expression was leaked last week, Senator Ronan Mullen has aired concerns about her suitability.

Ms Zappone lost her seat in 2020 after having served as the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and is well known for campaigning in favour of same-sex marriage.

“The danger here in all of this of course is that some of the people who most talk about freedom of expression whether in lifestyle terms or in terms of the values that they want to express politically, it’s not always clear whether they are actually defenders of the right of people with a different point of view to have their say,” said Mr Mullen.

“I would say the jury is out on Katherine Zappone on that. I would be watching carefully to see whether she is actually interested in promoting freedom of expression for people who disagree with her point of view. I’m not saying that she’s not, but I don’t have an instinct that she is.”

Ms Zappone will be paid around €15,000 a year in tax-payer funds based on her working 50 days. Táinaiste Leo Varadkar revealed Ms Zappone had approached Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney about the role.

Asked whether Ms Zappone had asked Mr Coveney to create the job, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “Simon Coveney has made it clear that he believes in this emissary in context of the United Nations, and he did say to me that Katherine Zappone had made a contribution to the work that preceded the campaign in terms of Ireland getting membership by the Security Council.

“He was of a view that her contribution would be valuable in the course of the emissary for freedom of expression, and particularly her experience in terms of LGBTI issues.”

Senator Mullen said that whether at a university, in the media, or in politics, “we’re increasingly struggling to find a space where people can have respectful dialogue and hold to different points of view without being shamed for it and in areas where there are very legitimate differences of opinion – I’m not talking about racist ideas or ideas which would diminish other people – I’m talking about the honest search for truth among people who may have differing points of view on very important things.

“If that’s what the Government wants to promote, freedom of expression and to be a champion of freedom of expression in that all-inclusive way, well good luck to them and I’ll watch with interest to see whether Katherine Zappone delivers on it.”