Prof Breda Smyth has been appointed interim Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health from July 4, pending the completion of the competition to fill the role on a permanent basis.
Dr Tony Holohan resigned as CMO on July 1 after 14 years in the role.
Prof. Smyth has extensive clinical experience and has specialised in public health for the last 16 years. Before moving to the Department, she was Professor for Public Health Medicine in NUI Galway and Consultant in Public Health in HSE West.
She was a member of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), the Rapid Testing Expert Advisory Group, Chief Investigator on the multi-site study UniCoV study as well as her duties as the Director of Public Health in HSE West. She was also a founding member of the COVID-19 – Irish Epidemiology Modelling Advisory Group (IEMAG).
