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LAST UPDATE | 5 Apr 2022
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said he had “no hand, act or part” in the arrangement that allows for Dr Tony Holohan’s salary be paid by Department of Health when he takes up a new job as a professor in Trinity College Dublin later this year.
It was reported last month that Dr Holohan would be stepping down as the country’s Chief Medical Officer to take up the role as a Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership at TCD in July.
Recent reports show the CMO’s salary is around €187,000 per year.
A spokesperson for Trinity said the new post is an “open-ended secondment” funded by the Department of Health under the same terms as Dr Holohan’s existing contract.
When asked about the arrangement in the Dáil today, the Taoiseach said:
“I am not familiar with the arrangements between the Department of Health and TCD and was not involved, one way or another, in the decision by the Department of Health to create this post on public health and pandemic preparedness and second the CMO to it.”
“I had no hand, act or part in it,” he added.
The spokesperson from Trinity said temporary transfers to another role in a different organisation are a “regular and common feature across the civil and public service to encourage inter-departmental and inter-agency co-operation and the sharing of knowledge and skills in the public interest”.
The spokesperson said the position was “created with Dr Holohan in mind”.
“The Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership (2022) was established by the College Board in the context of recent and ongoing global events, including conflict, climate change, migration and the recent pandemic, having impacted on almost every aspect of our lives,” they said.
“The arrangements for the approval of the new Professorship were in line with normal processes and akin in some respects to the creation of a new Professorship funded by a research body.”
The University Council approved Dr Holohan’s appointment to the role last month after an interview with the selection committee at Trinity College Dublin.
The outgoing CMO said last month that it has been “a great privilege” to hold the position.
He said he witnessed over the past two years “the dedication of colleagues to protecting the health and wellbeing of people across Ireland”.
The Department of Health said in a statement:
The CMO’s new role is an open-ended secondment. Secondments between organisations are a regular and common feature across the civil and public service to encourage inter-departmental and inter-agency cooperation and the sharing of knowledge and skills in the public interest.
It said that the Department is facilitating the secondment and considers that Dr Holohan’s experience “will be invaluable in developing the future of public health in Ireland through the Higher Education sector”.
“The position was created with Dr Holohan in mind,” it said. “The Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership (2022) was established in the context of recent and ongoing global events, including conflict, climate change, migration and the recent pandemic, having impacted on almost every aspect of our lives.”
It continued: “The arrangements for the approval of the new Professorship were in line with usual processes and akin to the creation of a new Professorship funded by a research body. Following an interview by the Selection Committee, the University Council approved the appointment of Dr Tony Holohan to the Professorship on 25 March 2022.
The Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership (2022) will function as an interdisciplinary professorship in the Faculties of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and Health Sciences. There has been a move in academia in this direction as the world confronts complex challenges. Trinity’s Provost Linda Doyle was Professor of Engineering and the Arts.
The role of CMO will be filled in the usual way for posts at this level subject to the appropriate sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The department said that it is anticipated there will be an open competition for a new appointment to the role of CMO under the auspices of the Public Appointments Service and the Top-Level Appointments Committee.
With reporting by Christina Finn
I understand how secondments work, and this doesn’t sound like one. Will have to be scrutinised again.
@Eoin Roche: So do most people!!!! What’s different about this one!!!!! Maybe you have seen his contract and can enlighten us?
@Jerriko17: Can’t take you seriously with all those exclamation marks!!!!!!!
@Football in the Groin: Yeah, it’s a bit like your “name”! ¡!!!!!!!!!!!!
The absolute ultimate teaching role, but seriously is he leaving the Health role or not? If he is on contract to Trinity for the same terms, then he hasn’t left the role. Sorry but I call BS on this, either he is a Trinity Prof or not and should be paid from the Trinity money tree. Is our Minister going to call halt on this madness?
@Dave.: Go look up the meaning of “secondment”…. It happens all the time in the public and private sectors and its very normal.
@Dave.: Doesn’t most of Trinitys money come from tax payers via the government anyway? He’s paid by public money from dept or trinity, does it matter?
@Dave.: but his new role in Trinity will feed back into public health strategy, hence the continuing link with HSE
@v39e84kK: It matters only if you’re an attention-seeking opposition TD. And, given that they complain about virtually everything, it’s just more white noise.
That’s a deadly deal. Move jobs and your old job pays your new salary.
Must be an Irish thing!
@Brian Martin: It’s called secondment, very common throughout the whole world.
@Jerriko17: So what’s your relationship to Tony lol? You seem to be the only one defending this “job for the boys” move involving a University.
@Toon Army: Nah, no relation and nothing much to “defend” …. I’m probably one of the few looking at it objectively and not going down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories, “jobs for the boys” bs or malice, that’s all.
This sounds like incredibly sketchy. Why would it be in the public interest to fund a public servant to teach a select few in a private institution?
Incidentally the pay scales for a professor at Trinity based on their website ranges from €85k – €120k. He’s getting paid far in excess of even the pay structure for this role.
There’s something very strange and very Irish wink nudge about all this.
@Rochelle: more like ~ €125k – €158k as core salary for a Professor appointed after Apr 1995, and then research funding would sit on top of that, dependant upon research funding arrangements. So not hard to get up to the CMO’s current salary if the research is for Dept. of Health.
Link to scales: https://www.tcd.ie/hr/employee-services/pay-scales/
@Rochelle: I’d be the first one to call out any sketchy deals that involve our government and private establishments, but this one I can see a bit of an advantage for the Irish public in time. We have a man with huge experience in our health system, now going into a role of teaching hundreds if not thousands of students that could become vital members of our health services in the years to come. It doesn’t matter if you like him or not, you can’t deny he has huge experience in decision making over the last few decades, on huge health issues and if he can teach students about the good, and the BAD decisions he has made(which it can be argued he has made a few) it will hopefully be better for all Irish citizens (tax payers) in the years to come. IMO of course.
@Gordon Larney: Now that is an objective view and one I agree with. I am leaving cynicism to one side for this one. Providing he does educate his experience particularly the bad ones made.
@Rochelle: Don’t Think he is in a teaching Roll ! Research It’s in the public Health sphere
@Eamonn Connell: they do say you learn more from you mistakes than you do from your successes.
Sure as the late Charlie Haughty said sure it’s a great little country
@Noel Donohue: It could be if we got rid of all the begrudgerie…
@Jerriko17: you have posted under every single comment, heralding your hero. Get a grip your opinion matters very little when it’s so obvious how bias you are and how you hide behind a fake profile
@Paul Fogarty: This is a public forum and not only a place for the likes of you and people who agree with you?? His standing in the general community is a lot higher than among the narrow band of commenters on this site….& BTW my “bias” is just as valid as yours and maybe a lot more objective.
@Jerriko17: it could be if we got rid of all the cronyism.
@Noel Donohue: Perhaps he meant that it’s a great country for the small-minded.
But if whoever pays the piper calls the tune then Dr Houlihan’s words and deeds are compromised by his financial beholding to the Dept of Health. I don’t know if the tail is wagging the dog or if he has been paid off or laid off?
@feargal de cantuin: methinks you read too much into this…looks like he’s taking a break from the pressure cooker of the last couple of years and don’t forget that his wife passed away in the middle of it.
@Jerriko17: took a break from the cervical cancer role too ..
WHAT ….. why !!!!
Jobs for the boys,cover up and u move up
This is definitely not a makey uppey role..
As our public transport is brutal I propose putting Tony in charge of road safety. To reduce road deaths he would understand taking all cars off the road would achieve this and then we would have to use public transport, this would also help reduce our carbon footprint.
Who will pay his Pension going Forward Trinity or The Tax payer Wounder what All The Vicki’s think of This
@pat seery: Well, given that he will remain on the DoH’s payroll, it dosn’t take a Mensa member to work out what body will be paying his pension. But if you still can’t work it out, then why not ask a grown up.
So… was the job he’s being seconded into advertised on the public jobs website? Or anywhere? Were any other applicants considered? Unfortunately, I wouldn’t have the necessary qualifications but just curious…. Maybe the author can find out please?
@Angela Lavin: Did U bother to read the article above He was hand picked for this role as he has vast experience & good luck to him
@Sheila McNulty: all vaccines filled by public appointments (public pay) should be advertised. (As Catherine Zappone found out).
Hand picked is not legitimate
Obscene
Don’t know anyone more qualified or entitled. A hero in my mind.
@Des Houlihan: Jerrico, is that you!
@John Barry: hahaha…. You believe in conspiracy theories too much. Not me, but then again………maybe it is ????
I’ll let you in on a secret, my real name is MaryLou. Don’t tell anyone.
@Jerriko17: you never answered John kavanaghs comment?
@Niall Wheeler:
Very sad that you’re so concerned… Get a life. If it makes you sleep easier, I’m not him!!!!!
How do these gentlemen always seem to fall on their feet?
@Brian Ó Murchú: Higher up the evolutionary ladder than you, perhaps.
Disgusting
@ChronicAnxiety: hahaha… Well said!!!
Get paid CMO salary to be seconded elsewhere. Only in Ireland.
He is a fraud. He should be exposed for his role in cervical smear scandal.
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