Holohan should not have been involved in Trinity College move negotiations, report finds

Former Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan pictured in the Department of Health at a NPHET press briefing. Photograph: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

A multi-million euro ringfenced funding package as part of the botched secondment of Dr Tony Holohan by-passed all of the accepted research protocols, a report has found.

A long-awaited report into the abandoned secondment found that the out-going chief medical officer should not have been personally involved in the negotiations relating to his new role and there should have been "complete decoupling" between the role and any research funding discussions.

The report is also critical of the fact that there was a lack of formal consultation with the Taoiseach, Minister for Health, Government and the Department of Public Expenditure throughout this process.

In her report, which has been on Minister Stephen Donnelly's desk since last year, Maura Quinn also found that the decision as to how the €2m annual budget for Dr Holohan's work was arrived at was "not based on any proposal nor costings" and the funding commitment was “unusual and outside regular processes.” 

Controversy erupted last year after it emerged that Dr Holohan was to take up a role in Trinity College.

However, he was forced to abandon his secondment as Professor of Public Health Leadership and Strategy after questions were raised around the salary arrangements and around how the role was created.

The report has concluded that "the proposed secondment of the Chief Medical Officer, to Trinity College Dublin and the associated research funding commitments should not have been linked together.

"The chief medical officer should not have been exclusively personally involved in the negotiation of research funding linked to his possible secondment. Reacting, Mr Donnelly said the report contains a "number of important observations and conclusions", adding that there are "very clear lessons to be learnt by my Department".

"The Report is clear for example that appropriate consultation and communication with relevant Ministers should inform such decisions in the future."

Mr Donnelly has written to Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe to request that his department examine the issues highlighted. There are also clear learnings for my department.

"I have also asked my officials to examine whether guidelines need to be drawn up to deal with the very important issue of health research funding in the future.

The Minister said: “I accept that all of those who became involved in this process did so with the intention of retaining for the public service the unique expertise of the former CMO, who had helped guide the public health response during the pandemic.”