THE JOB OF Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health is now being publicly advertised ahead of Dr Tony Holohan’s resignation coming into effect next month.

Holohan announced in March that he will be stepping down to take up an academic role at Trinity College Dublin. He subsequently pulled out of the mooted Trinity post amid controversy over the transparency and funding of the position.

He will step down on 1 July and one of the department’s deputy chief medical officers is expected to be appointed acting CMO until a permanent appointment is made.

The job listing for the permanent role notes that the CMO reports to the Secretary General of the Department of Health and has a “leading role shaping national policy and services”.

It says the CMO’s role is to provide structured and strategic evidence-based advice on medical, ethical and public health matters to the Minister for Health and the department. 

Providing leadership and strategic direction for the public health response to Covid-19 is also listed as a key function of the position.

The job comes with an €187,578 annual salary as it falls into the Civil Service Deputy Secretary grade.

Candidates must hold a specialist medical qualification from a recognised Irish post-graduate training body or the recognised equivalent of such a qualification. 

They must also be registered, or be entitled to be registered, on the Specialist Division of the register of the Medical Council and have at least ten years’ satisfactory experience in the practice of medicine.

The deadline for applications is 30 June.

Shortly after Holohan’s departure was made public, deputy CMO Dr Ronan Glynn resigned to work in the private sector.

This meant two health officials who held significant public prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic both left the Department of Health in quick succession.