Watt behaved with 'an utter disregard' for transparency on salary issue, draft report finds

Robert Watt was appointed secretary general of the Department of Health in April of this year, at a salary €81,000 in excess of that of other secretary generals to a total of €292,000 per annum

Secretary General at the Department of Health Robert Watt during a joint committee on Health meeting regarding the implementation of Slaintecare. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The secretary general of the Department of Health Robert Watt has been described as behaving with “an utter disregard” for transparency and accountability in the context of his controversial salary.

A draft report on the appointment of Mr Watt in April of this year, at a salary €81,000 in excess of that of other secretary generals to a total of €292,000 per annum, describes his decision not to attend a meeting of the Finance Committee on the matter as further displaying “disregard for the work of the committee”.