Tony Holohan defends €187k appointment to Trinity College, says ‘it is not his intention to return to CMO role’
Dr. Tony Holohan has said he has no intention of returning to his role as chief medical officer and that his secondment to Trinity College Dublin is to “develop public health capacity for the future”.
In his first comments on the controversy over his new academic role, Dr Holohan has told the Oireachtas Health Committee: “My secondment to Trinity College Dublin means I have agreed to relinquish my role as Chief Medical Officer; it is not my intention to return to this role at any point in the future. It is important that my successor feels fully empowered and enabled to undertake the role as they see fit.”
The Department of Health is to continue funding his existing €187,000 public service salary while he takes up a newly created role in Trinity, a move that has only emerged in recent days and has prompted questions from ministers and the Opposition.