Health minister dismisses as ‘soap opera’ suggestions of power struggle

The health minister has dismissed as a “soap opera” suggestions of a power struggle with the most senior civil servant in his department.

Stephen Donnelly made clear he set policy direction within the Department of Health as he answered questions at an Oireachtas committee on the botched secondment of former chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan to Trinity College.

The secretary general of the Department of Health Robert Watt has largely rejected the findings of an external report into the handling of last year’s ill-fated attempt to second Dr Holohan to a research post at Trinity.

The report found there was a lack of formal consultation with the Taoiseach, Mr Donnelly and the Department of Public Expenditure, and that the corresponding proposed annual funding of two million euro bypassed accepted protocols.

Mr Donnelly appeared before the Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform and Taoiseach to answer questions on the controversy on Thursday.

With the minister and the Government having accepted the report’s findings but Mr Watt having rejected them, Mr Donnelly acknowledged there had been commentary questioning who was in charge within his department.

He also made clear that the recommendations of the report would be implemented.

“I would say this wouldn’t I, but there is no question within the Department of Health as to where the direction of travel and the policy and the initiatives we are undertaking is coming from,” he said.

“And they are coming from government and they are coming from me as Minister for Health as the member of government in the Department of Health. And there is there is no question about that.”

Mr Donnelly added: “If you look at what the Department of Health and HSE has been doing for the last three years, what you will see is that they are doing exactly what Government and I, as Minister for Health, have set as the task ahead in terms of achieving universal health care in this country.

“And anything else, then it’s kind of soap opera – ‘he said, she said’ – ultimately who’s in charge, the people who set the direction and say this is what we’re going to do with the resource of the state.

“And Robert, as my secretary general, is tasked with leading the department on that.

“And I have to say I believe he has done and continues to do a good job.”

The minister expressed regret that Dr Holohan had left public service in the wake of the episode as he suggested Ireland would have been “safer” if he was involved in planning and research around how the country responds to future potential pandemics.