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Minister Simon Harris (L) said Matt Carthy had made comments in the Dáil yesterday that would be defamatory if they had been said elsewhere

Harris 'strongly' considering Carthy comment complaint

Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said he is "considering very strongly" making a complaint against Sinn Féin's Matt Carthy for what he says was a misuse of Dáil privilege.

Politics • 16 Sep 21

Katherine Zappone later declined the role following political uproar

Committee will invite Zappone to discuss UN appointment

The Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs is to ask Katherine Zappone to speak about her appointment as an UN special envoy last July.

Ireland • 15 Sep 21

Documents show that Katherine Zappone thanked Simon Coveney for the opportunity on 4 March

Coveney apologises for 'political fiasco' over UN role

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has apologised to an Oireachtas committee over what he described as the "political fiasco" surrounding the appointment of Katherine Zappone to a UN role.

Politics • 07 Sep 21

Micheál Martin said any future appointments would have to be made by open public competition (file pic: RollingNews.ie)

Open competition for future special envoys - Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said it is important that the Government learns lessons from the controversy surrounding the appointment of Kathernine Zappone as a special envoy.

Politics • 06 Sep 21

The WhatsApp message details how Katherine Zappone asked how long the appointment would be for

Zappone told of UN role months before Cabinet agreement

Katherine Zappone was told of her impending appointment to a UN role by the Minister for Foreign Affairs more than four months before the matter was agreed by Cabinet.

Politics • 06 Sep 21

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he believed material will be provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs will bring clarity to the issues

Govt documents will clear up Zappone issues - Taoiseach

Comprehensive material will be provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday on the proposed appointment of former minister Katherine Zappone as a United Nations envoy, the Taoiseach has said.

Politics • 04 Sep 21

Katherine Zappone turned down the appointment

Govt to review special envoy appointment process

The Government is to review how it appoints UN special envoys in the wake of the controversy over the appointment, to such a role, of Katherine Zappone.

Politics • 06 Aug 21

Katherine Zappone said that further queries regarding the event should be directed to the hotel itself (Pic: RollingNews.ie)

'Mistakes were made' over Zappone appointment - Coveney

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said he accepts "mistakes were made" in the appointment of Katherine Zappone as Ireland's UN Special Envoy on Freedom of Opinion and Expression.

Politics • 05 Aug 21

Katherine Zappone was Minister for Children in the last government (File pic: RollingNews.ie)

Tánaiste denies Zappone got envoy job due to 'cronyism'

Former independent government minister Katherine Zappone approached Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney to offer herself for a position of special envoy before her appointment was made.

Politics • 28 Jul 21

Katherine Zappone said her legal advice is that there must be some protection of birth parents' constitutional right

No automatic access to birth records for adopted people

Adopted people will not be given automatic access to their birth records under planned changes to legislation on adoption.

Ireland • 11 Dec 19

Excavations at Tuam site may not take place before end of 2020

Bill on excavations at Tuam site published

Draft laws which will enable the excavation of remains at the Tuam mother and baby site have been published.

Politics • 10 Dec 19

The Hyde & Seek chain has been hit by more resignations

Staff resign at Hyde & Seek crèche chain

A number of members of a new management team put in place at Hyde & Seek Childcare following an RTÉ investigation into care standards at the Dublin crèche chain are understood to have resigned their positions in recent days.

Ireland • 20 Nov 19

Launch attended by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone

Project to assist victims of child abuse launched

A new initiative to assist suspected victims of child sexual abuse has been launched in Galway.

Connacht • 16 Sep 19

Site of former Tuam mother-and-baby home

Possible to collect Tuam DNA samples before legislation

The Cabinet has been told that it should be possible to develop a voluntary scheme to allow for the collection of biological samples from survivors and others connected to Tuam's mother-and-baby home.

Ireland • 11 Sep 19

Katherine Zappone said she would like Tusla to have powers to de-register crèches

Minister proposes new powers for Tusla over crèches

The Minister for Children has said she wants to give Tusla power to de-register crèches "fairly quickly" following the revelations made in the RTÉ Investigates programme on the Hyde & Seek crèches.

Ireland • 29 Aug 19

The Taoiseach was speaking following a Cabinet meeting in Co Donegal

Taoiseach 'appalled' at Dublin crèche care revelations

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he speaks for everyone in the country when he says he was "appalled" at the treatment of children at the Hyde & Seek Childcare chain revealed in an RTÉ Investigates programme last night.

Ireland • 25 Jul 19

Oberstown is the country's only children's detention facility

Reduction in use of restrictive practices at Oberstown

There was a 25% reduction last year in the recorded use of single separation at the Oberstown Children Detention Campus in north Co Dublin.

Crime • 28 Jun 19

Minister Katherine Zappone said she wanted to allow for more consultation

Legislation on adoption records to be put on hold

The Minister for Children, Katherine Zappone has put a bill that will give adopted people access to their birth records on hold to allow for more consultation with stakeholders and the political parties.

Politics • 19 Jun 19

Katherine Zappone said the changes balance the right to privacy with the right to identity

Adoption bill on access to records 'a step forward'

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has said that changes to a bill that will give adopted people access to their birth records represents a major step forward.

Ireland • 12 Jun 19

Minister Zappone presents gay rights activist Badr Baabou with his Frontline Defenders award

5 global gay rights activists receive Irish awards

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone has presented a number of awards to at-risk LGBTI+ activists.

Ireland • 17 May 19

The unpublished report, seen by RTÉ, was commissioned by Scouting Ireland in April 2018

4 senior scouts acted 'inappropriately' over allegation

A report carried out on behalf of Scouting Ireland to review the handling of a sexual assault allegation made by an adult member of the association, found that four senior Scouting volunteers at times acted "inappropriately" in how they dealt with the allegation.

Ireland • 27 Feb 19

More than 20 members of the Tuam Mother and Baby Support Group issued an urgent call for their DNA to be collected and banked for future use

Govt to examine whether law allows Tuam DNA collection

The Government's Special Rapporteur on Children's Rights is to examine whether current legislation permits the collection of DNA samples from survivors of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home and from their relatives.

Ireland • 31 Jan 19

Katherine Zappone will consult with her Cabinet colleagues on the extension request

Zappone to discuss extension request from commission

Minister for Children Kathrine Zappone is to meet the commission investigating mother-and-baby homes next week to discuss its request for a further one year extension to its deadline for delivering a final report.

Ireland • 12 Jan 19

Katherine Zappone will be updated in December on the number of alleged victims and alleged perpetrators

Scouting Ireland receives 80 calls to abuse helpline

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone has said 80 people identifying as victims of abuse have phoned the confidential helpline set up by Scouting Ireland after 71 alleged abusers and 108 alleged victims were identified.

Ireland • 29 Nov 18

Minister Katherine Zappone said she decided not to publish the report because the Board of Oberstown was "not in a position to satisfy itself, or me, that fair procedures had been applied before the report was finalised and submitted"

Minister warned of resignations over Oberstown report

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone was warned of resignations and possible legal action if she attempted to publish an independent report into the operation of the Oberstown Children Detention Campus.

Politics • 11 Nov 18