TOP CIVIL SERVANT Robert Watt will be paid more than €280,000 to lead the Dublin City Task Force.

Watt was previously secretary general of the Department of Public Expenditure and more recently, the Department of Health, where he was paid around €297,000 per year, making him the highest-paid civil servant.

A government spokesperson confirmed today that his salary has reverted to what he was paid prior to his role in the Department of Health.

They stated his new position pays out at the level of ‘Secretary General Level I’ which pays €280,902.

Cabinet signed off on the appointment today, which will result in Watt being seconded to Dublin City Council.

Watt, whose term as Secretary General of the Department of Health recently came to an end, was available for assignment to a new position, said a government spokesperson, who confirmed that there was no open competition for the job.

The secondment from the civil service to Dublin City Council will be for an initial period of three years.

The Dublin City Taskforce was set up in 2024, aimed at rejuvenating Dublin city centre.

In the same year, the taskforce recommended that the GPO be redeveloped “as a major public building”, which could see it become a world class museum or the new home for RTÉ.

Previously, the taskforce was chaired by David McRedmond, CEO of an Post, and included representatives from public services; community health; business and unions; arts, culture, and tourism, and private sector experts in architecture, urban design, and planning.

In June 2025, government approved an implantation plan and established what is called a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which the government argued would give “effective strategic direction, execution and oversight of the initiative”.

Work on establishing the SPV as a legal entity is underway, but in a statement today, the government said to ensure urgency and momentum, a project management unit, led by Watt, is being put in place on an interim basis.

Top civil servant

Watt has hit the headlines over the years, such as in 2023, when he appeared before the Oireachtas finance committee and largely rejected an external review into the controversial proposed secondment of the former chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan to Trinity College. 

A year earlier, he was accused by that same committee of “seriously mishandling” the proposed secondment.

Over the years, questions have also been asked about his pay packet and the government signing off on increased salary hikes.

In 2014, Watt said it should be easier to sack non-performing public sector workers and that bonuses for those that do perform should be considered.

Marie Sherlock, Labour TD for Dublin Central stated that such a big salary for this new role places great expectations on the taskforce to deliver for the people of Dublin.

“I very much welcome that Robert Watt has been appointed as Chief Executive of the Dublin City Regeneration Authority.

“Government has moved at a snail’s pace on the taskforce recommendations which were published 18 months ago. There is now very considerable expectation and high hopes of Mr Watt in his role. I want to wish him well in this task. Funding and political will is critical to its success,” she said.