Katherine Zappone has said the controversy over a party she hosted in the Merrion Hotel during the pandemic was “one of the most difficult times in my life”. 

In July 2021, Ms Zappone, who is now standing for election to the Seanad, organised an outdoor event for 50 people at the hotel - one of whom was then Tánaiste Leo Varadkar. 

At the time, outdoor gatherings of up to 200 people were allowed but opposition TDs raised concerns about whether it was appropriate given the many public health restrictions at the time. 

One commentator said there was an “air of entitlement” about the event but the Attorney-General later ruled that the event had been legal under the guidelines of the time. 

“I was a private citizen at the time and I wanted to hold an event to thank the people who had supported me during my ministry - especially during my great loss of Ann Louise,” she told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“I had to step back and deeply reflect about that; I put a lot of that reflection in my memoir that’s going to be published this year. 

“What I would say is now, is that I understand that people could have perceived it that way.

“But there was conflicting guidance in relation to the holding of an event like that and I think all of that is on public record.”

Katherine Zappone. Photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

The week before the controversy began, Ms Zappone, who had lost her Dáil seat in the election the previous year, had been appointed as Ireland’s UN Special Envoy for Freedom of Opinion and Expression. 

The position had not been publicly advertised and the Government was accused of cronyism. 

Eventually, Ms Zappone decided not to take up the position but has now insisted there was nothing improper about the recruitment process. 

“There have been other appointments for special envoys,” she said. 

“This process did not move away from that - it was similar. 

“I can see now why people were raising those questions but it was very similar to the way the Government had done it before.” 

Trinity election

Ms Zappone now hopes to be elected one of the three Senators that represent Trinity College in Seanad Éireann. 

She previously served in the Upper House as a Taoiseach’s nominee and said that she “loved” her time there.  

“I’d like to be an inside champion for progressive change - and also for human rights,” she said. 

“I always brought both of those lenses to any of the work that I did as a politician and I have started to review the draft Programme for Government and there are certain areas in that draft that I don’t think are ambitious enough.” 

Ms Zappone previously worked for Trinity College in the 1980s and said representing graduates would allow her to “offer some public service” to the people of Ireland.

Main image: Katherine Zappone. Picture by: PA.