Stephen Mulvany to be acting CEO of HSE

The HSE's Chief Financial Officer Stephen Mulvany has been named as acting chief executive of Ireland's health service.  Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

The outgoing chief executive of the HSE has told staff he will finish up in his role at the beginning of October and named a temporary successor to his role.

In a message to staff, Paul Reid said he plans to depart from his role as chief executive on October 3, after which he will take a period of leave.

He had previously indicated he would step down from his role in December 2022. 

In his message to health staff, Mr Reid said: “The Chairman and the board have agreed that Stephen Mulvany, chief financial officer, will take up the position of acting CEO from Monday October 3 until the recruitment and appointment process for the CEO role has concluded.” 

Mr Reid added that he will be in touch with staff again as the handover date approaches. 

But once again, I want to say that this has been a really tough decision for me to make. I will truly miss leading the best workforce in the country. 

In a message to staff in June, Mr Reid said he was making the decision to step down as chief executive with a heavy heart, and that it was the hardest decision he had ever made in relation to his own career.

"Having previously worked in the private, not for profit, central, and local government sectors, working in the HSE has been by far the greatest period in my career," he said.

"It has been truly rewarding leading an organisation whose staff come to work every day to make people’s lives better."