Robert Watt refuses to answer questions on 'touchy subject' of waiving €81k salary hike

Secretary General at the Department of Health Robert Watt reacted somewhat angrily when asked if he considers his €292,000 salary “appropriate and warranted”.

The secretary-general of the Department of Health Robert Watt has refused to answer questions as to whether or not he continues to waive an €81,000 salary hike.

Mr Watt took over his position in the department, which had been negotiated with the increased salary to a total of €292,000, in April after serving on an interim basis since January.

Though entitled to the higher salary, he said at the time that he had waived the increase until such time as the economy “begins to recover from the effects of the pandemic”.

His appointment process was recently the subject of a highly critical report by the joint committee on finance.

Asked by Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy at the Public Accounts Committee this afternoon whether or not he continues to waive the salary increase, and if he considers the €292,000 “appropriate and warranted”, Mr Watt reacted somewhat angrily.

“I was asked here to talk about Vote 38, the appropriation account for 2020, and the chair alluded to two other things in relation to that (the national children’s hospital and the nursing homes value for money report), I’m here to answer questions on those matters,” he said.

Chair Brian Stanley, a party colleague of Mr Carthy, then interjected to say: “If you’re happy to answer, I’d ask you to do so.” 

“So you’re allowing the question to stand chair, is that what you’re saying?” Mr Watt replied. “So I can answer the question or not. I wasn’t brought here to answer questions on these matters. Your standing orders are very clear about this as to what I’m allowed to be asked,” he said to Mr Stanley. 

I’m not answering that question, I have no further comment to make on it.

 “I can’t compel you to answer the question,” Mr Stanley said.

Asked once more by Mr Carthy if he was still waiving the salary increase, Mr Watt made no answer.

The matter was returned to subsequently by another Sinn Féin TD, Imelda Munster, who remarked the topic is a “touchy subject”.

Mr Watt responded that he was “here to do my duty” in answering questions as accounting officer for the health vote.