No Cabinet sign-off on Watt move to €292k Health role
CIVIL servant Robert Watt’s permanent transfer to the €292,000-ayear secretary general job at the Department of Health was not confirmed at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting as expected.
Mr Watt has been working in the role on a temporary basis since January following his move from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was expected to bring a memo to yesterday’s Cabinet meeting formally confirming the appointment. However, a Government spokesperson confirmed last night that the minister had not brought the memo and the appointment had not been confirmed.
It is also unclear whether it will be brought to next week’s Cabinet meeting. A spokesperson for Minister Donnelly told the Mail he ‘does not comment on matters that he may or may not bring to Cabinet’.
There has been considerable opposition to Mr Watt’s appointment with questions raised over the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s role in increasing the salary before Mr Watt’s appointment and his move to the Department of Health.