A meeting between Taoiseach Enda Kenny and HSE Chief Executive Cathal Magee has ended.
Speaking after the one-hour discussion, Mr Magee said his decision to leave his Health Service Executive post still stands.
He said it had been a good courtesy meeting where he outlined his rationale for leaving and the Taoiseach did not ask him to reconsider.
In relation to his letter to the Department of Health last Friday indicating his intention to step down and the controversy over several ministers not being told until late this week, Mr Magee said communications in the department are a matter for the department.
Yesterday, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said he only learned of Mr Magee's intention to leave on RTÉ radio news.
Minister for Children & Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald has acknowledged there were "some communications issues" over the resignation of Mr Magee.
Ms Fitzgerald said however that the Tánaiste and the Minister for Health have addressed these.
She said enough has been said about the matter and there should not be an undue focus on it when there is so much important reform work in the health sector to be done.
