Professor Breda Smyth will become the new Chief Medical Officer from next month.
She has specialised in public health for the last 16 years and currently works as a professor at NUI Galway and is a consultant in public health in HSE West.
Professor Smyth will take up the role on an interim basis from July 4th, pending the completion of a competition to fill the role permanently.
Current CMO Dr Tony Holohan's due to retire in the coming weeks.
