The government has announced the appointment of Professor Mary Horgan as the interim Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health.

The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, confirmed that Professor Horgan will take up the role following the departure of former CMO Professor Breda Smyth.

The appointment was approved by the Cabinet this morning.

Professor Mary Horgan is a 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 the widespread use of these tests.

She also served on the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In November 2023, she was appointed by the Minister for Health to lead the design of a new emerging health threats agency.

The Chief Medical Officer plays a critical role in developing policy and legislation regarding patient safety, quality in healthcare, and strategies to support and improve population health.

Throughout her career, and more recently in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and her work on NPHET, Professor Mary Horgan has demonstrated the experience, expertise, and strong leadership skills required for the role of CMO.

The Minister for Health expressed his gratitude for her taking up this interim appointment and looks forward to working with her to strengthen and improve Ireland’s preparedness for health threats and to protect and improve population health.

Professor Horgan expressed her honor in taking up the role of Chief Medical Officer and looks forward to working with her colleagues in the Department of Health.

She aims to bring her national and international experience in healthcare to support the department’s mission to improve the health and well-being of the people in Ireland.

Professor Mary Horgan is originally from Kerry and is a graduate of University College Dublin (UCD).

She was awarded her MD in 1995, MRCPI in 1988, and FRCPI in 1997.

She trained in Infectious Diseases at Washington University School of Medicine in St.

Louis before returning to Ireland in 1997 to take up a consultant post at Cork University Hospital.

She is a national and international leader in medical education and training, infectious disease, and public health.

She has spearheaded medical and scientific education in Ireland.

Previously, she was the Dean of the Medical School at University College Cork (UCC) and was elected as the first female President of the Royal College of Physicians since its founding in 1654, serving her second term in 2020.

She has served as President of the Infectious Diseases Society of Ireland and on the boards of the Health Products Regulatory Authority, Irish Blood Transfusion Service, Mercy University Hospital, and the Governing Body of UCC.

She also served on the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), led the expert advisory group on rapid testing, and chaired Ireland’s first National Research Ethics Committee.

In November 2023, she was appointed by the Minister for Health to lead the design of a new emerging health threats agency.

She was awarded the UCD alumni award for health in 2019 and has received several honorary fellowships in recognition of her contributions to the field of medicine.