Appointment follows departure of Prof Breda Smyth to RCSI role The Government has appointed Prof Mary Horgan as interim Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at the Department of Health. Prof Horgan is professor of infectious diseases at University College Dublin and the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. She has held various roles in the health service and led the expert advisory group on rapid testing, which recommended widespread use of the tests.
She also served on the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) during the Covid-19 pandemic. The appointment was approved by the Cabinet this morning and follows the departure of former CMO Professor Breda Smyth to take on the position of professor of public health with the RCSI. Prof Horgan said: “I am honoured to be taking up the role of Chief Medical Officer.
I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Department of Health and to bringing my national and international experience in healthcare to support the Department’s mission to improve the health and wellbeing of the people in Ireland.” In November 2023, Prof Horgan was appointed by the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to lead the design of a new emerging health threats agency. Marking today’s announcement, Minister Donnelly said: “The Chief Medical Officer plays a critical role in developing policy and legislation regarding patient safety, quality in health care, and in developing strategies to support and improve population health.
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