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LAST UPDATE | 10 Apr 2022
IT IS “REGRETTABLE” that Dr Tony Holohan will not be taking up a planned role at Trinity College Dublin but full transparency would have been “appropriate”, the Taoiseach has said.
Speaking to reporters in Arbour Hill in Dublin today at a Fianna Fáil event to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising, Micheál Martin said that lessons must be learned from the controversy this week.
Dr Holohan said yesterday he will not proceed with a new role in TCD and will retire from his position as Chief Medical Officer in July.
It followed days of controversy around the details of the position after it was reported that the Department of Health would continue to pay Dr Holohan’s salary in the TCD role.
Micheál Martin said: “I think fundamentally lessons have to be learned here, but I think transparency from the outset would have been appropriate, particularly in relation to all of the aspects of this.
“I think it’s regrettable given the fact that Tony has played a very strong role in terms of bringing us through the pandemic.
“I think there has to be full transparency in relation to all of these issues.”
Today in Arbour Hill we commemorated the Easter Rising, where we remembered those who sacrificed so much for Irish liberty, and paid homage to those fighting a similar cause today in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/l2dOOwO2EJ
— Fianna Fáil (@fiannafailparty) April 10, 2022
The Taoiseach added: “There will be a comprehensive summary and report tomorrow from the Secretary General of Health to the Minister for Health.
“I was very clear that anything which involves the spending of public money or any substantive programme of research is a policy issue that does require approval by government.
“It is clear to me that this was to be funded by the Exchequer from what I know now.
“I met with the minister on Thursday. He had certain details that had been presented to me at that stage. It was very clear that what was envisaged was a multi-annual funding from the Department of Health to be administered by the Health Research Board.
“I think the research programme itself and building up our capacity in terms of research as a preparation for future pandemics is a good idea, but again it is one that if perhaps early on there had been a broader deliberation on it, things may have worked out differently.”
The planned role for Dr Holohan as a Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership was set to be an “open-ended secondment” funded by the Department of Health under the same terms as Dr Holohan’s existing contract.
Recent reports show the CMO’s salary is around €187,000 per year.
Dr Holohan confirmed yesterday that he had “decided not to proceed” with the new position and he did “not wish to see the controversy of the last few days continuing”.
“Following my departure, I look forward to sharing my knowledge and expertise outside of the public service,” he added in a statement.
The CMO’s new role was initially announced last month, but information that the Department of Health would continue paying Dr Holohan’s salary after leaving his post at the department was not disclosed until this week.
The Taoiseach had said earlier this week that the secondment should be paused to allow for greater transparency.
With additional reporting by the Press Association.
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Of that 63% how many are Irish citizens?
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: if we could deport you ,that would be one less ?
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: if it suits your agenda none but in reality probably the bulk of the 63%
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: most of it!
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: I agree
@Bala mc blaha: he’s entitled to free speech with no interruption from do gooders
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: Most. Dont ask me how I know but I know.
Books could be written
@Bala mc blaha: never on the dole in my life, oh wait sorry, I was out sick for a few months, got my illness benefit, do I deserve to be deported for that?
@Larry Roe: I’ve no agenda. I’m just asking a question. They shout out the headline, but Where’s the breakdown? Are these benefits for new people entering the country or are they for Irish people.
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: Out of that 63% how many are ginger? Or tall? Or middle aged? Or racist? Or downright ignorant? I don’t know but it’s hardly relevant, just as their country of origin is irrelevant. What’s important is many people are struggling and we must endeavour to help as best we can despite our petty prejudices.
@Benny McHale: of course their country of origin is important. Its one thing for our tax money to be spent on people fleeing an invasion, diffrent matter altogether on it being spent on people who arrive in this country just for the hand outs.
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: How any foreign nationals do you know personally? Because all of them that I know personally, work for hard everything they get.
They work in jobs that many Irish people refuse to do, getting up at 4am to work in a factory, on a site or elsewhere, both the men and women, also many foreign women with school going children are working part-time while their children are in school, rather than watching the telly in their pajamas.
@David Van-Standen: 98% of the company I work for are made up of foreign nationals. A lot of my neighbours are also not Irish. So what? Nothing to do with my original question. I asked for a breakdown of the extra people that have to go on emergency payment. Are we looking after our own?
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