Updated at 16:58
Former Children's Minister Katherine Zappone thanked Simon Coveney back as early as March for offering her a role to represent Ireland, according text messages released by Government.
On Thursday, March 4th, a text message from Katherine Zappone to Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney shows her thanking him for the privilege of being able to serve Ireland again.
“Hi Simon. Thank you so, so much for offering me this incredible opportunity. It will be such a privilege, and I will be so proud to serve Ireland again.
“I think the time is really ripe for a change to. Could you let me know time period appointment is for, and what are the next steps. And you know, I am working with UN FPA until mid or end of June."
Ms Zappone contacted Mr Coveney repeatedly between March and May to enquire about her role as Special Envoy.
Texts messages show that Ms Zappone sought clarity from Mr Coveney as to a start date.
New role
It comes as Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said he was “really excited” about Katherine Zappone's appointment as a UN special envoy five days before the Taoiseach was informed.
In an email, released by the Department of Foreign Affairs, between Ms Zappone and the Department's secretary-general Niall Burgess, Ms Zappone confirmed she had sent a text to Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney about the timeframe of her new role and the details of the job.
As the Irish Examiner reports, the appointment of Ms Zappone as a UN special envoy has dogged the government for weeks, and she ultimately turned down the position amid the public backlash.
New documents show the remit of the role was redrawn following a meeting between Mr Burgess and Ms Zappone.
The email is dated July 22nd, five days before the appointment was brought to Cabinet, leaving the Taoiseach "blindsided".
Ms Zappone writes: “Dear Niall, yes, I so enjoyed meeting you in person too. The revised note captures everything so well of our collective efforts. I saw the Tánsiste (sic) last eve, and he’s really excited about this too.
"It’s ready to go to the Minister, I think.
“I did text him re the timeframe, as discussed. I promise you, Niall, that I will do my best to ensure that this will be an important legacy piece of your time in leadership.”
Full review
Ms Zappone told Mr Burgess in text messages that she and Mr Coveney had “agreed a way forward” the day after the news of her appointment broke.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the controversy the Taoiseach has said a full review is to be conducted into the role of UN envoys, with appointments to be done by public competition.
The Taoiseach said: “I think it’s important that we have transparency in relation to this issue. I also think it’s important that we in Government learn lessons from this.
“I think there needs to be a full review of the role of envoys into the future, the added value they may or may not bring to certain situations.
“I think that the Department of Foreign Affairs should conduct a full review in relation to that.
“And that if there are to be any further appointments into the future, that they will be done by open public competition.”
Additional reporting by PA
