Last year a special envoy position was created especially for Katherine Zappone. There may well have been merit in the position and she may well have been a suitably qualified candidate - unparalleled, according to some - but the issue was a lack of competition and transparency in the use of taxpayers' money. The Tánaiste stated it was a mistake. This year, a professorship was created for Dr. Tony Holohan. There may well be merit in the professorship and he may well be a suitably or uniquely qualified candidate but there is a similar lack of transparency and openness in the use of taxpayers' money. The only difference I can see between the two situations is that the new position of Dr. Holohan, if he goes ahead with it, will cost the Exchequer 14 times more than the position of Katherine Zappone. At least the Tánaiste's colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, took ownership of the issue of the position for Katherine Zappone. The Minister for Health seems to be a passenger in what is happening in his Department. Is the Tánaiste happy for this appointment to go ahead without an open competition and funded by taxpayers' money?

The new role of the Chief Medical Officer is an open-ended secondment funded by the Department of Health. Dr. Holohan is being seconded to Trinity College Dublin under the same terms and conditions as his existing contract. Secondments between organisations are a regular and common feature across the civil and public service to encourage interdepartmental and inter-agency co-operation and the sharing of knowledge and skills across the public service.

Trinity College Dublin is not in the public service.

I think all present will acknowledge that it would have been far preferable if the full details around the secondment had been put in the public domain at the outset. That should have been done. I know the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, is not satisfied with how this has been done and he is engaging with the Department of Health on it at the moment. That is not in any way casting aspersions on Dr. Holohan - I know the Deputy did not do so either - who is an excellent public servant, or on the fact that Trinity College Dublin is creating this post. It is important, however, to follow procedures. The Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath is pursuing the matter.

Is the Tánaiste happy for it to proceed?