Simon Coveney has said he was too busy to meet Katherine Zappone in New York this week.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs was in New York since Monday attending a number of high level meetings at the UN.
His last one was with his Russian Foreign Minister counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Wednesday before he grabbed a late train to get to Washington today to meet House Speaker and friend of Ireland, Nancy Pelosi, among others.
Mr Coveney spoke to reporters just before he left, outlining his schedule, and saying when questioned that there was no time for Ms Zappone.
The Irish Mirror went to Ms Zappone’s home to try and speak to her on New York’s Upper West Side, but she was not at home according to her doorman.
It was a short 20 minute cab ride from the UN headquarters.
However, Mr Coveney did not make the trip, nor did he phone the former friend of Fine Gael and ex-Government minister.
He said when asked if he’d been in touch: “No, I haven’t, I’ve been busy this week.
“Katherine Zappone makes her own decisions, I haven’t spoken to her.”
And when pressed by the Mirror if she had contacted him, he added firmly: “No.”
Ms Zappone was at the centre of the major political controversy of the summer when it emerged a cushy UN unadvertised post had been created by Mr Coveney and offered to her.
She subsequently declined the role, but it damaged public trust in the Government when the facts of the controversy emerged.
Mr Coveney will on Thursday hold talks in Washington DC with the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.
On the agenda will be US/Irish relations, issues affecting Northern Ireland, the ongoing implementation of the EU/U.K. Brexit agreement as well as the Covid 19 pandemic.
Also on Capitol Hill, Minister Coveney will meet a large number of cross party Senators and members of Congress including the Friends of Ireland caucus.
Brexit will feature prominently as it did on Wednesday when the Minister briefed the European American Chamber of Commerce in New York.
Minister Coveney last night concluded his bilateral program at the UN General Assembly in New York with a meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.
