Government appoints Professor Mary Horgan as interim Chief Medical Officer
Posted 11 June, 2024
The Government of Ireland has named Professor Mary Horgan as interim Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at the Department of Health.
An expert in infectious disease, the UCD academic’s new appointment was approved by the Cabinet this morning, and comes after the departure of former CMO Professor Breda Smyth.
In a statement, the Department of Health described Horgan as a national and international leader in medical education and training, in infectious disease and public health.
“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,” said Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.
"Throughout her career, and more recently in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and her work on NPHET, Professor Horgan has demonstrated the experience, expertise and strong and effective leadership skills that are required for the role of CMO.”
Adding: "I want to thank her for taking up this interim appointment and look forward to working with her in the department as we continue our focus on strengthening and improving Ireland’s preparedness for health threats and protecting and improving population health."
The Professor of Infectious Diseases at UCD School of Medicine and the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Professor Horgan 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.
In November she was chosen to lead the design of a new emerging health threats agency for Ireland.
On her new appointment as interim CMO, the Kerry native 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."
Professor Horgan has previously been the dean of the medical school in University College Cork and she was elected as the first ever female president of the Royal College of Physicians, serving two terms.
She graduated from UCD in 1986, and was awarded her MD in 1995, MRCPI in 1988 and FRCPI in 1997.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
