Watt denies committing funds for Holohan secondment without minister's approval

Secretary-general of the Department of Health Robert Watt declined to comment on whether he had overstepped his remit in sending a letter to the provost of Trinity, committing about €23m of funding over 10 years, along with the detail of the proposed secondment of Dr Tony Holohan. File picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly appeared on national radio defending the secondment of Dr Tony Holohan without the knowledge that €2m of taxpayers' money had already been committed for his salary.

The secretary-general of the Department of Health Robert Watt and chief medical officer Dr Holohan appeared before the Oireachtas health committee on Wednesday, with Mr Watt defending his role in the now-abandoned appointment of the CMO to Trinity College.

Mr Watt declined to comment on whether he had overstepped his remit in sending a letter to the provost of Trinity, committing about €23m of funding over 10 years, along with the detail of the proposed secondment.

The letter, sent on March 16, was only seen by the CMO, Mr Watt and the HR representative involved. No Government minister had been consulted, although Mr Donnelly was loosely aware of the move. 

Parts of the letter were read aloud during the hearing, which “commits to make an annual ring-fenced allocation of €2m for the duration of the secondment, to be administered through the Health Research Board and body under the aegis of the Department of Health”.

Mr Donnelly appeared on Morning Ireland on the issue on April 6, without knowledge of the contents of the letter.

“The minister was aware that there was a commitment, and the minister was aware in general terms that it was part of a proposal to examine enhanced research funding for public health policy,” Mr Watt said.

Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane said it was a “substantial omission” and a dereliction of duty on the part of Mr Watt.

“I would imagine if I was the minister, I would want to be fully briefed on all of the details of what the arrangements were, every detail and you can't tell me that on April 6 when he was on Morning Ireland if he was aware at that point that the details which were clearly set out.

“The details of that letter are the crux of this. It clearly sets out the financial implications.

“I think with respect, you are not getting this at all, and that you will have lost the run of yourself.” 

Mr Watt rejected the assertion: “There was no expenditure of public money. There was no sanction about money. It was a letter of intent consistent with Government policy, which had been set out very clearly.” 

Dr Tony Holohan said he had not been approached to change his mind about abandoning the secondment. File picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

Mr Watt also appeared before the health committee on the same day and didn't inform members.

“You had an opportunity to say at that point, that I have sent a letter to the provost of Trinity, I have given a commitment of €2m annual funding,” Mr Cullinane added.

“Now now have a situation where the CMO is not taking up the post.” 

Likewise, Social Democrat co-leader Róisín Shortall said Mr Watt was committing the Department of Health to funding not only for the first year figure of €2m, but committing to multi-annual funding over a period of about 10 years.

“A figure of about €20m, which is a very substantial amount of money. In addition to that, there's the question of Dr Holohan's salary over that period. And, you know, conservatively that's probably something in the region of €3m. So you're making a commitment of taxpayers money of €23m without the authority to do that.

“I believe you went beyond your authority and your power to do that. And it is very hard to understand the kind of the mentality of somebody who would do that.” 

Dr Holohan said he felt supported throughout the process and although he had not been approached to change his mind about abandoning the secondment, he would remain open to it.