The new Director General of the health service is to be Tony O'Brien, who currently heads up the Special Delivery Unit at the Department of Health.
Mr O'Brien has been directly appointed by Minister for Health Dr James Reilly, to whom he will be accountable. His term will be for three years.
He previously headed BreastCheck and the Irish Family Planning Association.
HSE Chief Executive Cathal Magee confirmed last week that he is to leave his post soon.
He said he did not wish to be part of the Government's new reform programme, which will see the abolition of the HSE in 2014.
Under planned legislation, the Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012, subsequent DGs will be appointed by the minister, following a public service recruitment process.
The appointees to head the other six new Directorates of the new service will be selected through the Public Appointments Service.
Fianna Fáil health spokesperson Billy Kelleher said the new Director General for the HSE should have been appointed through open competition.
