Dr Tony Holohan will not be taking up a new €187,000 a year taxpayer-funded Trinity College professorship.
The Chief Medical Officer said today that he "does not wish to see the controversy of the last few days continuing" after considerable anger and confusion over his appointment emerged in both Leinster House and among the public.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin put the appointment on hold yesterday, pending a report from the Minister for Health to be presented to him on Monday.