Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has this evening announced that he is stepping back from his role.
Dr Holohan will be taking time out from work to spend time with his family as his wife has been admitted to palliative care.
His wife, Emer, had been undergoing cancer treatment since 2012. She was admitted to palliative care last Saturday.
In a statement, Dr Holohan said he wants to give his energy and attention and all of his time to his wife and their two teenage children.
Dr Ronan Glynn has been appointed acting Chief Medical Officer. Dr Glynn worked as the Deputy CMO throughout the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland.
Dr Holohan said: “As a husband and father, and as a public health doctor, I’m conscious that we all have been through tough times together over the last number of months and many families across the country have been affected by the course of Covid-19, suffering pain and loss of loved ones.
“I hope that we can all remain working together to continue to stay vigilant, keep our social distance, and take personal responsibility for our own health, in the first instance, as well as looking after our family members and friends and those we care about most.”
