THE GOVERNMENT’S SLÁINTECARE Reform Programme has suffered another blow with the resignation of Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr Anthony O’Connor. 

Dr O’Connor confirmed his resignation from Sláintecare Implementation Advisory Council (SIAC) this evening. 

He declined to comment on the reason for his departure when contacted by The Journal this evening. 

The news of Dr O’Connor’s resignation comes after he met with HSE chief executive Paul Reid and Department of Health Secretary General Robert Watt yesterday. 

Dr O’Connor is the third member to step down from the programme in recent weeks. 

Laura Magahy was appointed as executive director of the programme by government in July 2018. It was confirmed on 8 September that she had stepped down from her role. 

Dr Tom Keane, who was appointed chairperson of the Sláintecare Advisory Council in 2018, also left the programme as his term as chair was ending. 

On 11 September, a number of members of SIAC released a statement expressing “shock, regret and concern” at the resignations of Magahy and Dr Keane. 

Dr Eddie Molloy, one of the members who endorsed the statement, told RTÉ’s News at One at the time that he believes that a central issue was the “resistance and the delay” by the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly in supporting moving forward with regional structures for the health service. 

The cross-party Sláintecare plan is aimed at transforming Ireland’s health and social care services over the course of a decade.