HSE chief executive Paul Reid will step down from his position later this year.
In a statement on Monday morning, the HSE said Mr Reid had agreed he will step down in December 2022, allowing a period to choose a successor.
It said Mr Reid had no immediate career plans.
In a message to staff, Mr Reid said he was making the decision with a heavy heart, and that leaving the HSE was the hardest decision he had ever made in his career.
It's with a heavy heart that I've advised the Chairman of @HSELive and the Minister for Health that I will step down as CEO later this year. Having led teams in the private,not for profit,central & local government and health sectors,I now want to spend some time with my family.
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) June 27, 2022
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"Having previously worked in the private, not for profit, central and local government sectors, working in the HSE has been by far the greatest period in my career. It has been truly rewarding leading an organisation whose staff come to work every day to make people’s lives better," he said.
"No organisation will ever match the commitment, dedication and relentless willingness to go beyond the call of duty that I have witnessed as we battled multiple waves of Covid, a criminal cyberattack while driving a significant reform agenda. This has been truly inspirational for me to experience."
Mr Reid said he wanted to spend more time with his family who had made many sacrifices to support him. He said another factor influencing his decision was a belief that the HSE was entering a new phase and that the appointment of a new leader was now timely.
'Exemplary leadership'
Following the announcement, Taoiseach Micheál Martin thanked Mr Reid for his "extraordinary leadership" during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"I know from personal experience in my dealings with Paul throughout the pandemic, that he was available seven-days-a-week, almost 24/7," he said.
"No call was too late at night or too early in the morning. He gave total commitment, along with his teams.
"I understand fully why Paul has decided to step down later this year to spend more time with his family after an extraordinary demanding period. I wish him all the very best in the future."
I'd like to thank @paulreiddublin for his work at the HSE over the past numbers of years, in particular his extraordinary leadership shown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
➡️https://t.co/9Ffsq0fN0t— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) June 27, 2022
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly praised Mr Reid for his work in the role since his appointment in July 2019, saying he "provided exemplary leadership to the HSE".
"He has led Ireland's health service through some of its most difficult days and has done so with dedication and professionalism.
"Throughout the pandemic, Paul played a critical role in leading Ireland's response to the greatest health emergency of our times.
"He leaves behind him an organisation much enhanced for his time as chief executive and one that is already making real progress in implementing reform and improvement across many aspects of healthcare provision."
Also paying tribute to Mr Reid, the chairman of the HSE, Ciarán Devane, said: “It is with very great regret that I and the board have heard of Paul’s decision.
"He has led the health service through what has been the greatest challenge it has ever faced, and done so with relentless dedication and professionalism.
"We are very grateful that he will stay in his role for a further period to allow us to progress the extremely difficult task of replacing him."
