€122,000 job for Media Minister Catherine Martin’s former adviser is the latest appointment row to hurt Green Party

Opposition TDs have raised questions over Tanya Warren’s appointment as director of policy at Coimisiún na Meán, coming immediately after she spent the last three years working as policy adviser to Ms Martin. The salary for the job could rise to €122,000.

‘Is there one for everybody in the audience? Or just the advisers?’

Ms Martin’s spokesperson yesterday confirmed that the minister was unaware her top adviser was going for the job.

“The minister was informed that Ms Warren had applied for a role in Coimisiún na Meán after she had accepted the position,” they said.

Ms Warren was appointed following a competitive recruitment process – but questions have been asked as to what advantage she had in securing the role as a result of advising the very minister under whose remit the new regulator falls.

The Green Party has been embroiled in a number of rows over appointments since entering government in 2020 – with spouses, party supporters and activists seeming to benefit from the party’s recent electoral access and involvement in the coalition.

Green Party figures have sought to portray Ms Warren’s job switch as something she did in a private capacity.

They also say Ms Warren consulted with the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) in advance of accepting an interview for the job, and again before accepting the job.

The appointment appears to have been above board, but Independent TD Michael McNamara said: “Is there one for everybody in the audience? Or just the advisers? It’s the kind of thing that the Greens in opposition would be jumping up and down about.”

Even some coalition members are privately uneasy over the appointment.

“There is a bit of a revolving-door issue around some of this,” said a Fianna Fáil source.

Two years ago, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan was forced to deny allegations of cronyism after the Sunday Independent revealed he appointed former adviser Prof Morgan Bazilian, Green Party member Andrew Murphy, and former Green election candidate Cara Augustenborg to €10,000-a-year roles on the board of the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC).

The appointments were made without an open competition – and against the advice of Oireachtas committee recommendations that there should be an open, competitive and transparent process behind CCAC appointments.

Mr Ryan has also drawn flak over his large number of advisers and assistants – at least 10 – which is more than any other government member.

Ryan’s allies point to his broad responsibilities as Minister for Environment and Transport – but no other senior minister with two cabinet level portfolios has that many advisers.

Some Greens privately express concerns around the lack of transparency around the appointment of Mr Ryan’s aides, which at one point included two serving Green councillors.

As with all ministers, there is no requirement for an open competition for special adviser appointments.

Other Greens who have benefited from the party’s electoral success in recent years include Erika Doyle, who is married to Wicklow TD Steven Matthews and was co-opted onto his Wicklow Co Council seat three years ago.

Also co-opted to their spouse’s local authority seat was Mark Hackett (husband of junior minister Pippa Hackett), who sits on Offaly Co Council.

Ms Martin herself is married to Dublin South-West TD Francis Noel Duffy, who has accompanied her to several sports events, including the Ryder Cup in Rome.

While Mr Duffy travelled to Italy at his own expense and at no cost to the department, according to the Irish Examiner, the backbencher did get a free ticket to accompany Ms Martin to an American football game in Dublin in August.

Ms Martin has also attracted criticism for flying business class. She has said she will do so again “if it’s needed”.

The Greens do not appear to have broken any rules, but public perception is important – and judging by the questions now being asked, this latest controversy is not over.