‘We’re very lucky’ — Stephen Donnelly didn’t sign off Dr Holohan’s move to Trinity Who Signed off?

 7th April 2022

The Minister for Health has defended the department’s decision to pay for Tony Holohan’s new job in Trinity College and said he did not sign off on his secondment.

The Chief Medical Officer is set to step down from his role after accepting a job offer from Trinity College Dublin, where he will take up a role as Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership under the same terms and conditions of his CMO contract, with the taxpayer funding his salary.

The move, which none of the coalition leaders said they were aware of, raises the prospect that the taxpayer could be paying for two separate CMOs, while only one officer is in place.© Provided by Extra.ie The Minister for Health has defended the department’s decision to pay for Tony Holohan’s new job as a lecturer in Trinity College. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

Speaking on Morning Ireland on Wednesday, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly defended the move, saying that the Department of Health will benefit from Dr Holohan’s new role.