The decision by the chief medical officer, Dr. Tony Holohan to step away from his duties to be at the side of his wife who is in palliative care with cancer, has engendered great respect and no little sorrow.
Well known to many by now after helping to guide Ireland through the global pandemic since March, along the high stakes associated with the planning advice needed to curb the transmission of a new and often deadly virus, the fact that he has worked and strived so diligently and stoically while his wife has suffered with a terrible illness, and informing nobody until now, is all the more remarkable.
So much so that one local Dublin Fine Gael Councillor has called on the new Dublin Lord Mayor Hazel Chu to bestow the capital's highest honour upon Dr. Holohan, that being the freedom of the city.
Fine Gael local Councillor Danny Byrne
South East Inner city councillor Danny Byrne says Dr. Holohan has ''worked tirelessly for many months now and everyone in the country has been assured by his calm and professional demeanour.''
''I have today called on Lord Mayor Chu to bestow the freedom of Dublin on Dr Holohan. Originally from Dublin, this I am quite sure will be a very special honour for Dr Holohan.''
