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Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD today confirmed that the European Union will award €3.8 million to the HSE to cover some of the costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding will pay for some of the cost associated with transporting personal protective equipment (PPE) and other life-saving medical equipment to Ireland from outside the EU between April and July this year.

The EU is providing financial support to health authorities in 18 Member States, plus the UK, to support cargo transport operations undertaken as part of those countries’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grants will be awarded under the “Mobility Package” of the European Commission’s Emergency Support Instrument, which aims to help Member States in their efforts to address the pandemic in a strategic, coordinated manner at European level. Operations were awarded funding based on a formula developed by the Commission to ensure an equitable distribution of funds between applicant countries.

Minister Donnelly said

This funding is another example of the support provided by the EU to Ireland and other Member States in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. This is a timely reminder that European solidarity is an important element of our response to the pandemic, and we will continue to work with the Commission and EU colleagues to share information and coordinate actions as much as possible.  

The EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said

We continue to support our EU Member States to be better prepared to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. We have financed the transportation of essential medical supplies across the EU. The items were delivered where they were needed the most and have boosted national efforts to save lives and better equip hospitals and healthcare workers.