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MINISTER FOR HEALTH Stephen Donnelly said that yesterday was the first time he learned that Robert Watt attempted to email him a brief on the now abandoned proposal for Tony Holohan’s secondment.
Watt, secretary general at the Department of Health, told an Oireachtas committee yesterday that he attempted to contact the minister about the appointment last year but failed to because he said the minister’s laptop had been “hacked”.
Speaking today, Donnelly confirmed that his laptop and phone were given to “IT people” due to a security issue that arose while he was in Texas.
He said that he handed over the devices for about a week when he arrived back in Ireland.
The Minister said he had to be “vague” on the nature of details surrounding the security issue.
When asked if Watt would face any disciplinary action following yesterday’s committee appearance, Donnelly said that the Government doesn’t “make sanctions based on tone”.
Watt appeared before the Oireachtas finance committee yesterday, when he largely rejected an external review into the controversial proposed secondment of the former chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan.
His performance at the meeting drew criticism, including from Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns who called it an “extraordinary spectacle”.
Watt told the committee yesterday that Holohan’s secondment fell through largely due to an issue of “communications”.
The report also found that there was a lack of formal communications about the secondment between the Taoiseach, Minister for Health and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Following the revelation that Donnelly’s laptop and phone had to be handed over to IT due to security issues, independent senator Gerard Craughwell today called for the National Cyber Security Centre to carry out a full audit of all government departments.
Craughwell said “I believe that in light of the cyber-attacks on the HSE, MTU etc. this is a most serious admission from the most senior official in the Department of Health. I have asked the Garda Commissioner to carry out a full investigation into this security breach.”
“I would ask that Government ask the National Cyber Security Centre to immediately carry out a full cyber audit of all government departments as a matter of urgency,” he added.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, speaking alongside Donnelly at the opening of a new wing at the Mater Hospital, said that he expects Watt to carry out the recommendations of the report on the secondment proposal “in full” regardless of his views.
He said that there needs to be better practices and procedures in place to ensure that this “doesn’t happen again”, and that he expects Watt to implement the needed changes.
So he had no access to official email for a week? Just as well there was nothing urgent going on. 80LL0X
“The dog ate my laptop”
@Leo Martin: How this guy is still in place is a mystery.
The lack of respect that these guys have for the publics intelligence is as astonishing as it is falling.
You couldn’t write this stuff
As manual says in Faulty Towers me know nothing Mr. Faulty…if this wasn’t serious and in the public interest it would make a great comedy.
Varadkar must sack the two of them to restore some credibility to this shambles of a Government.
@Owen G Mc Ginley: Varadkar..Credibility should not be used in the same sentence. Will the investigation into the leaking of confidential government documents be rekindled.
@Donal Desmond: Took the words out of my mouth….
He did ,
He did in his bo@@ok
I followed that Oireachtas committee yesterday and I concluded that Robert Watts doesn’t care a hoot about any TDs or Ministers .John McGuinness reprimanded him for his answers , huy Watt was cheeky back to him .I cannot believe that Donnelly and the Taoiseach isn’t taking action against him and have him removed from his position . He is an Arrogant man ,and needs to be controlled .
@Eugene Comaskey: he should be castagated
Watt? lol
The lack of respect that these guys have for the publics intelligence is as astonishing as it is galling.
Word of the year (lessons to be learned)
Liar liar pants on fire
Watt doesn’t give a shiite and has free reign to do what he wants, it would seem. He’s an untouchable and he has Mickey Martin, his little lapdog, jumping through hoops for him.
His pathetic excuse is almost as bad as his quarter arsed attempt at being Healthy Minister
Spoofers
@Derek Corcoran: liars
Today’s the 20th April not April 1st.
Seriously!
The level of contempt these entitled chancers show to us mere citizens is astonishing.
Watt is probably telling the truth and knows as a civil servant they can’t touch him. Hence the arrogance. Politicians different matter. Make your own mind up.
U couldn’t believe their radio
Lies on top of lies. Corruption is key in this country of ours.
And people say Le(3P)o is smug!! That giant egg in an expensive suit would sour milk.
Donnelly bugs the life out of me. The absolute state of him. Wholly and woefully incompetent but with an arrogance of superiority. This Governent truly is a shambles.
@Kenmark: All he wants is to pust for Abortion in every hospital in the Country He will answer for that And as for Harris No words
Laughable
More crap
Robert Watt answered the questions he was asked in good faith.
Donnelly confirmed there was a problem with his laptop at the time.
Politicians tend to use these Oireachtas committees to try and get a few headlines for themselves. They are upset that Robert Watt refused to be badgered or intimated.
They made inaccurate accusations that Watt easily refuted and that is what irritated them.
John McGuinness’ comment that Robert Watt’s answers didn’t reach the standard he expected was just rather silly.
Imagine … the NCSC having to potentially audit its own department … it beggars belief.
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