The payout to Prof Nolan - who became a household name during the Covid-19 pandemic when he served as a member of the high-profile National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) - is revealed in Science Foundation Ireland’s financial statements for 2024.

The State-funded research agency said the litigation with its former chief has been 'damaging to the reputations of all parties'

Mr Justice Mulcahy said the director general contract permitted the SFI board to dismiss Prof Nolan “for no reason at all”.

Prof Nolan’s lawyers argue there was “no conceivable justification” for his dismissal

The High Court is hearing a dispute between Professor Philip Nolan and Science Foundation Ireland

The case is due to return before the High Court on June 11th

The State-funded research agency announced on Tuesday morning that Prof Nolan was no longer director general and that a new acting head had been appointed.

Prof Nolan was notified on Monday night that he was being dismissed from his job as director general of the Science Foundation Ireland

The co-centres will bring together academics, industry and policymakers across the Irish Government, UK Government and Stormont departments.