Person: Robert Watt

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

Joe and Helen O'Toole Community Nursing Unit in Tuam opening
Internal row has erupted in government over health service's budget crisis
Tánaiste Micheál Martin defends the health minister from a flurry of criticism by Fine Gael members

Tue, 17 Oct, 2023

Sarah Harte: RTÉ fiasco has proven that we need systemic change, not scapegoating
Sarah Harte: RTÉ fiasco has proven that we need systemic change, not scapegoating
The public is tired for all sorts of reasons. It's why there is so much anger at what is being uncovered in RTÉ

Wed, 05 Jul, 2023

Senior public servants should get year's pay when their term ends, review says
Senior public servants should get year's pay when their term ends, review says
Report says outgoing secretaries general should be offered a year's salary — up to €255,000 — or a job at their previous level in the civil service

Wed, 28 Jun, 2023

Catherine Conlon: Operation Transformation funding cut is a very good move — here's why
Catherine Conlon: Operation Transformation funding cut is a very good move — here's why
New weight loss treatments will herald a revolution in treating obesity but equal focus must be placed on the urgent need to improve the food environment

Mon, 26 Jun, 2023

Up to 400,000 people will have to wait another couple of weeks for medical card eligibility
Up to 400,000 people will have to wait another couple of weeks for medical card eligibility
Department of Health secretary general Robert Watt also updated the Oireachtas Health Committee on plans for elective hospitals, including in Glanmire in Cork

Wed, 14 Jun, 2023

Terry Prone: His authenticity is entertaining but Robert Watt is not an entertainer
Terry Prone: His authenticity is entertaining but Robert Watt is not an entertainer
The one thing Robert Watt delivered in front of the Oireachtas committee was authenticity. He didn't pretend not to be the combative personality he is.

Mon, 24 Apr, 2023

Elaine Loughlin: In Deirdre Gillane, Watt chose the wrong adviser to cross
Elaine Loughlin: In Deirdre Gillane, Watt chose the wrong adviser to cross
A key strategist in Micheál Martin’s inner circle and rarely in the headlines, Deirdre Gillane's rebuke of Robert Watt put her firmly in the spotlight

Sat, 22 Apr, 2023

Coronavirus - Tue Aug 4, 2020
Taoiseach and Tánaiste unaware Stephen Donnelly lost access to emails in cybersecurity breach
Health Minister says he did not get important correspondence from department secretary general Robert Watt due to breach

Fri, 21 Apr, 2023

Irish Examiner View: Hard to see Robert Watt's grounds for arrogance
Irish Examiner View: Hard to see Robert Watt's grounds for arrogance
It is hard to believe that someone in charge of the Department of Health would offer “it slipped our minds” as a credible explanation for any omission.

Fri, 21 Apr, 2023

Watt rejects 'most of' report's findings on former CMO Holohan's secondment 
Watt rejects 'most of' report's findings on former CMO Holohan's secondment 
Mr Watt also told the Oireachtas Finance Committee that Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was not  informed of key details relating to the secondment because his machine was hacked

Wed, 19 Apr, 2023

Donnelly backs Tánaiste's chief of staff in dispute with Robert Watt on Holohan secondment
Donnelly backs Tánaiste's chief of staff in dispute with Robert Watt on Holohan secondment
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said no further action need to be taken against his secretary-general

Wed, 19 Apr, 2023

Holohan report includes intriguing 'he-said-she-said' accounts by top officials
Holohan report includes intriguing 'he-said-she-said' accounts by top officials
Department of Health secretary-general Robert Watt appeared to make claims about then chief of staff at the Department of An Taoiseach Deirdre Gillane, which she has refuted in the strongest terms

Tue, 18 Apr, 2023

Nursing home living room
People forced to sell homes to pay nursing home fees, committee told
People have been forced to sell their homes to meet historic nursing home fees, the Oireachtas health committee has heard. A tense debate centred mostly on fees wrongly levied on residents which, the committee heard, are still having major impacts.

Wed, 15 Feb, 2023

Robert Watt 21/1/2023
Increases to health budget 'not sustainable', says Watt
Speaking at a day-long conference hosted by the Department of Health, its secretary general Robert Watt denied the suggestion that the health service is “underfunded”.

Tue, 14 Feb, 2023

Ireland in Europe
HSE doesn't know how many people waiting for refunds of illegally charged nursing home fees
The are concerns that a great many affected people did not apply for compensation or, if their application was turned down, did not appeal. 

Thu, 09 Feb, 2023

Mick Clifford: Hospital fix requires political bravery
S Mick Clifford: Hospital fix requires political bravery
For some reason, an annual horror show of hospital overcrowding, which was flagged well in advance this year, was not the subject of forward planing, or at least not enough to alleviate needless suffering

Sun, 08 Jan, 2023

HSE Operational Update Media Briefing
HSE chief concedes service is 'behind target' in tackling waiting lists
There are now an estimated 897,300 people on waiting lists, including almost 98,000 children

Wed, 07 Dec, 2022

CC COMMITTEE MEETING
Daniel McConnell: Civil servants now prefer to operate with no oversight
The trojan horse of GDPR has been widely misused by government departments

Sat, 22 Oct, 2022

CC COMMITTEE MEETING
Department taking legal advice on publishing salaries of secretaries general
The department "is considering this advice at present" following concerns that publishing salaries “might stray into issues of personal information".

Thu, 20 Oct, 2022

'Mind-blowing' delay for new Cork hospital as crucial documents not delivered for eight months
'Mind-blowing' delay for new Cork hospital as crucial documents not delivered for eight months
The business case for the new hospital was delivered to the Department of Health in January but not passed on to the Department of Public Expenditure until September

Thu, 20 Oct, 2022

National Children's Hospital Ireland
Watt says using law firm to represent children's hospital could lead to claims of 'bias'
McCann Fitzgerald drafted the contract for the controversial €1.7bn hospital bid in 2017

Tue, 09 Aug, 2022

CC COMMITTEE MEETING
Dáil votes to force Watt to appear before committee over Holohan secondment
Seeking to force witnesses to appear is a power that committees rarely use

Tue, 12 Jul, 2022

Close-up of boy having teeth examined
Almost 70,000 children miss out on State dental appointments
The targeted assessments of young children and vulnerable adults are carried out each year to identify "preventive interventions and the need for restorative care"

Tue, 07 Jun, 2022

Social Democrats Leinster House
Senior health official says Public Accounts Committee has 'a few loopers'
Department of Health spokesperson said it was 'aware of alleged recordings of internal meetings... being circulated'

Thu, 02 Jun, 2022

Ill treatment of health whistleblower shows little appetite to remedy public service  
Ill treatment of health whistleblower shows little appetite to remedy public service  
After the seismic disclosures about the Department of Health by whistleblower Shane Corr, the only person to suffer anything approaching a consequence was Mr Corr himself

Wed, 01 Jun, 2022

CC COMMITTEE MEETING
Department of Health using IT department to prevent recording of internal discussions 
Secretary-general Robert Watt told the Public Accounts Committee IT is involved in preventing recording of of private meetings following release of transcripts of budget meetings by whistleblower Shane Corr earlier this year

Thu, 26 May, 2022

CC COMMITTEE MEETING
Watt takes 'ultimate responsibility' for keeping National Children's Hospital progress secret
In February 2021, the PAC was told by the National Paediatric Health Development Board that a detailed report would be available within the following month

Thu, 05 May, 2022

Watt denies committing funds for Holohan secondment without minister's approval
Watt denies committing funds for Holohan secondment without minister's approval
Tony Holohan and Robert Watt faced questioning at the Oireachtas health committee on Wednesday morning about the now-abandoned secondment of the CMO to Trinity College Dublin

Wed, 04 May, 2022

Robert Watt and Tony Holohan to attend Oireachtas committee
Robert Watt and Tony Holohan to attend Oireachtas committee
A statement from the Department of Health this evening said Stephen Donnelly will attend when an independent review has been completed.

Wed, 27 Apr, 2022

Committee 'disappointed' at Robert Watt's failure to hand over Holohan documents
Committee 'disappointed' at Robert Watt's failure to hand over Holohan documents
The Oireachtas finance committee has written to Mr Watt criticising his 'lack of engagement' with it over the controversy, which is now subject to two separate inquiries

Tue, 26 Apr, 2022

Coronavirus - Wed Apr 6, 2022
Donnelly's refusal to appear before committee over Holohan role slammed 
A letter sent to the committee from Mr Donnelly's private secretary said: 'Neither the minister nor his officials are in a position to attend the meeting'

Sun, 24 Apr, 2022

Holohan review to be completed by June 
Holohan review to be completed by June 
Review into controversial secondment of chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan to a post in Trinity College to be made public, health minister says

Wed, 20 Apr, 2022

Letters to the editor: We need clarity over donating blood to tackle acute shortage
Letters to the editor: We need clarity over donating blood to tackle acute shortage
Since the end of June last year, 675 units of blood have had to be imported from Britain for use in hospitals and other medical services across Ireland

Sat, 16 Apr, 2022

Coronavirus - Wed Oct 7, 2020
Alison O’Connor: Holohan debacle escalated over lack of transparency
Many of the details of Dr Tony Holohan's proposed role as professor of public health leadership and strategy at Trinity College Dublin remain murky.

Fri, 15 Apr, 2022

Memo on Holohan's move to Trinity does little to clear up confusion
Memo on Holohan's move to Trinity does little to clear up confusion
The actions of Department of Health secretary general Robert Watt will remain under scrutiny, write Daniel McConnell, Elaine Loughlin, Paul Hosford, and Aoife Moore

Fri, 15 Apr, 2022

Taoiseach 'unaware' Trinity was offered €2m funding as part of Holohan secondment
Taoiseach 'unaware' Trinity was offered €2m funding as part of Holohan secondment
A letter from the Department of Health to Trinity shows the university was offered a ringfenced funding agreement for the establishment of the professor of public health role.

Thu, 14 Apr, 2022

FILE PHOTO After 14 years as Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan is to step down from the position he has held since 2008. Dr
Daniel McConnell: Another embarrassing week in the Department of Health
The cost of the weakness of our politicians compared to our civil service was this week laid bare for all to see

Sat, 09 Apr, 2022

Covid-19 media briefing
Questions remain over Tony Holohan's 'unusual' €187k move to Trinity
Pointing out that Dr Holohan doesn't have a Phd, one Trinity College academic described it as "the most extreme example of 'jobs for the boys' I and others have seen".

Thu, 07 Apr, 2022

Watt critical of 'factual inaccuracies' in whistleblower account of budget discussions
Watt critical of 'factual inaccuracies' in whistleblower account of budget discussions
Whistleblower had alleged a number of issues, including the suggestion that a large-scale adjustment would be necessary for the executive’s 2020 accounts

Sun, 20 Feb, 2022

Alison O'Connor: The two lads may have captured the system intended to oversee them
Alison O'Connor: The two lads may have captured the system intended to oversee them
Paul Reid and Robert Watt's double act at the health committee left TDs fuming as, again, the system has grabbed a vital reform agenda — and the best we can hope for now is Sláintecare-lite

Fri, 18 Feb, 2022

Officials defend pace of health reform despite rising waiting lists amid tense questioning
Officials defend pace of health reform despite rising waiting lists amid tense questioning
HSE CEO Paul Reid said he accepts that "patients are waiting too long to be seen" 

Wed, 16 Feb, 2022

Cianan Brennan: Not much accountability at Oireachtas Finance Committee
Cianan Brennan: Not much accountability at Oireachtas Finance Committee
Michael McGrath contrives to defend the indefensible while we are told new Garda HQ is not too small, yet the opposite is the case, says Cianan Brennan

Thu, 10 Feb, 2022

Coronavirus - Tue Jun 16, 2020
Taoiseach: 'Merit' to €292k salary of health department's boss Robert Watt
Micheál Martin said Mr Watt had taken over in the middle of a global pandemic when the Government had "allocated huge sums of money to health"

Wed, 09 Feb, 2022

CC ROBERT WATT
Fourth pay hike for Robert Watt will push his salary over €300k
New review to look at planned restoration of pay for top civil servants

Thu, 03 Feb, 2022

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