Tony Holohan should not have been involved in aspects of TCD move, report finds

A report into the secondment of former chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan to Trinity College Dublin concludes that he should not have been involved in aspects of the move.

It is understood that the long-awaited report, which is due to be published as soon as this week, does not contain any adverse findings against Dr Holohan but does identify issues with the structure of the process.

According to multiple sources with knowledge of the report, it states that the former CMO “should not have been exclusively personally involved in the negotiation of research funding linked to [the secondment]”.

It is not clear if Dr Holohan is likely to dispute this assertion or characterisation, or elements of it.

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Speaking on Sunday, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said it had always been his view that “people acted in good faith” in relation to the process, but he added: “Clearly there were certain issues with the process.”

Dr Holohan, who became a household name during the Covid-19 pandemic, had been due to take up a position with Trinity College Dublin on secondment. However, the proposed move collapsed after political misgivings emerged about how it had come to pass, and Dr Holohan instead decided to retire from the public service.

A previous report into the appointment, produced by Robert Watt, the secretary general in the Department of Health, outlined how Dr Holohan had “entered into detailed discussions with the third-level sector” regarding a future role for him, building on talks between Dr Holohan, Mr Watt and Martin Fraser, the former head of the Civil Service. The three men had been in a dialogue since the previous August regarding Dr Holohan’s future, which firmed up early last year.

The intention was that Dr Holohan’s post would allow for the strengthening of the knowledge and practice of public-health leadership in the State. Mr Watt’s report outlined that on February 25th, Dr Holohan formally sought support for a secondment to TCD.

After the process collapsed, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly commissioned a report from businesswoman and former head of the Institute of Directors Maura Quinn – almost a year ago. However, its publication has been long delayed. Ms Quinn first submitted a report to the department last June, and later an updated version in July. The Irish Times has learned that additions were being made to the report until last October in a process that became much more drawn out than originally intended.

A freedom-of-information request shows extensive correspondence last summer between Ms Quinn, Mr Donnelly, Mr Watt, Dr Holohan and other senior officials and advisers relating to the report.

The request reveals some 72 separate communications on the report, many of them running to dozens of pages.

The Department of Health refused to release any records or documents associated with the process, citing carve-outs from transparency laws which exempt records relating to deliberative processes, or if the release of records would have an adverse effect on the performance of a body’s management functions, including industrial relations and management of its staff.