HSE chief Tony O'Brien is to take a leave of absence from the board of the US medical company he joined earlier this year.
The Tánaiste confirmed the HSE Director General will take a temporary break from the contraceptives manufacturer Evofem Biosciences to focus on the Cervical Check scandal.
Tony O'Brien had taken up the role with the US company with the consent of the Health Minister.
However, Tánaiste Simon Coveney has confirmed Mr O'Brien will temporarily step away from that.
Tánaiste confirms HSE boss Tony O'Brien is to take a leave of absence from the board of the US medical firm he joined earlier this year to focus on Cervical Check scandal
— Sean Defoe (@SeanDefoe) May 3, 2018
However, Mr O'Brien - who is due to leave the HSE this summer - is to see out his term as HSE boss with the backing of Government
Minister Coveney said: "Tony O'Brien can be of most use to the women of Ireland in terms of establishing facts here if he focuses fully in trying to assist in the process the Government is trying to put together."
Simon Coveney calls for a bit of calm. Says they shouldn't shoot first and ask questions later
— Sean Defoe (@SeanDefoe) May 3, 2018
Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty says that's not good enough, arguing: "People have died without the information that they were entitled to. Somebody - and that person at the head of the organisation which denied them that information - has to be held to account."
And People Before Profit TD Brid Smith has questioned Health Minister Simon Harris' will to hold anyone to account for the controversy.
She said: "I really plead with you to discipline the people who failed to tell you, or else you should resign - it is not credible that you can stand over a situation like that."
The Government is still examining how to best carry out an investigation into the scandal
