CMO Tony Holohan receives Freedom of the City of Dublin

The CMO was awarded the honour on behalf of healthcare workers for their "trojan work" during the pandemic.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan has received the Freedom of the City of Dublin. It comes after Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu proposed that the CMO be awarded the honour last July, on behalf of healthcare workers for their efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the motion later agreed by councillors. Meeting with Chu at the Mansion House in Dublin on Wednesday evening, Dr Holohan signed the Roll of Honorary Freedom and accepted the honour. In a tweet announcing the news, Chu wrote: "CMO Tony Holohan receives Freedom of the City on behalf of all health care workers for their trojan work during this pandemic. "At last July's council meeting all councillors collectively agreed to award the CMO and all health care workers the Freedom of the City for their efforts."

CMO Tony Holohan receives Freedom of the City on behalf of all health care workers for their trojan work during this pandemic. At last July's council meeting all councillors collectively agreed to award the CMO and all health care workers the Freedom of the City for their efforts pic.twitter.com/uirElQtyAN

— Lord Mayor of Dublin (@LordMayorDublin) June 16, 2021

Most Freedom of the City of Dublin honourees have made a contribution to the life of the city or of Ireland in general, including politicians, public servants, humanitarians, artists and entertainers. Others were distinguished members of the Irish diaspora and foreign leaders who were honoured when visiting Dublin. Earlier on Wednesday, the CMO appeared before the Oireachtas Transport Committee and was quizzed on the issue of antigen testing. The CMO said that while the use of antigen tests can be considered in some scenarios, they should not be used for international travel as of yet. He said PCR testing remains the "gold standard diagnostic test" for Covid-19. The CMO told the committee: "As the evidence evolves – and assuming that this evidence is in support of the use of rapid antigen testing, we are more than willing to support its further use where appropriate evaluation indicates that it can bring added benefit in the pandemic response. “Ultimately, however, based on knowledge to date, the safest way for us to reopen society, including to international travel, will be to continue to control the incidence of the disease... through a range of public health measures which are continuously reviewed as we do, along with progressing the national vaccination programme to ensure as many people as possible within the population are protected through immunisation.”