Independent reviewer, Ms Maura Quinn, was asked to undertake this review last April.
The Terms of Reference of the Review were to:
- determine learnings from the process related to the proposed secondment of the former CMO and associated research proposal.
- make recommendations that could inform future such initiatives.
Ms Quinn submitted her Final Report to the Minister last October.
The Minister said: “I am grateful to Ms Maura Quinn who agreed to undertake this work on a pro bono basis last April. Her detailed Report contains a number of important observations and conclusions. There are very clear lessons to be learnt by my department. The Report is clear for example that appropriate consultation and communication with relevant Ministers should inform such decisions in the future.
“The report confirms that no attempt was made to conceal the nature of the agreement with TCD in relation to the proposed secondment. Indeed, as the Report outlines, those details were put into the public domain indirectly by my department which provided material to assist with a response to a media query.”
The Report makes a number of recommendations for future proposed secondments and points to the need for greater clarity on existing secondment policies and their duration.
The Minister said: “I have written to my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to request that his department examine the issues highlighted. There are also clear learnings for my department. I have also asked my officials to examine whether guidelines need to be drawn up to deal with the very important issue of health research funding in the future.
The Minister said: “I accept that all of those who became involved in this process did so with the intention of retaining for the public service the unique expertise of the former CMO, who had helped guide the public health response during the pandemic.”