Former CMO Dr Tony Holohan accepts UCD adjunct professor role

Muireann Duffy

Updated: 1.45pm

Former chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan is to take up a new role as an adjunct professor in University College Dublin (UCD).

Dr Holohan became a household name during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading the State's response and heading the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).

His 14-year tenure as CMO came to an end on July 1st having announced his decision to resign back in March.

The appointment of his successor to the role, Professor Breda Smyth, was confirmed by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly in June.

Dr Holohan will now become an Adjunct Full Professor of Public Health at UCD's College of Health and Agricultural Sciences.

Confirming the news, he tweeted: "Delighted with [appointment] as Adjunct Full Professor of Public Health in @UCDDublin on a pro bongo basis.

Delighted with appt as Adjunct Full Professor of Public Health in @UCDDublin on a pro bono basis. Have great plans to bring value to the role and to find other interesting things to do @UCD_CHAS #almamater #onwards #grateful

— Dr Tony Holohan (@DrTonyHolohan) July 7, 2022

"Have great plans to bring value to the role and to find other interesting things to do."

His decision to join UCD comes after controversy surrounding a role he had previously accepted at Trinity College Dublin (TCD).

Dr Holohan was due to become a professor of public health strategy and leadership at Trinity, however, it later emerged the Department of Health was to pay his €187,000 annual salary as a secondment.

Numerous politicians, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, expressed concern over the lack of transparency regarding the arrangement, with Mr Donnelly receiving a report complied by his department's secretary general, Robert Watt, on the matter in April.

At that time, Dr Holohan also confirmed he would not be taking up the role at TCD.