Former CMO Tony Holohan's Trinity College salary to be paid by Department of Health

Former Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan will have his salary at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) paid by the Department of Health.

The news was confirmed by a spokesperson for TCD.

The news follows the outgoing CMO's announcement that he would be leaving the role on March 27.

According to RTÉ News, Dr Holohan is availing of an 'open-ended secondment' from the Department in order to take up a role at the college as a Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership.

In addition, the news outlet said that the role was not put out to open competition and that TCD said it "was created with Dr Holohan in mind".

The spokesperson added that his salary will be 'under the same terms and conditions of his existing contract.'

"Secondments between organisations are a regular and common feature across the civil and public service to encourage inter-departmental and inter-agency cooperation and the sharing of knowledge and skills in the public interest," they added.

It is understood that Dr Holohan's new role was created by the College Board in the context of recent and ongoing global events, including conflict, climate change, migration and the recent pandemic.

Dr Holohan was appointed as Deputy Chief Medical Officer in 2001, before taking over as Chief Medical Officer in December 2008.

He qualified as a doctor from University Hospital Dublin in 1991.