Irish Community Rapid Response will honour its commitment to provide cover for the Irish Air Corps service operating from Athlone despite funding issues. Ms Bruton said that the ICRR Air Ambulance would send its relief helicopter and a secondary crew to Athlone to cover this Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as well as four days in February in line with its commitment. “We are honouring the commitment we made to the government to provide cover for the Athlone service for a total of eight days and we are getting financial support from the government to provide that cover,” she said. Ms Bruton confirmed that ICRR Air Ambulance has to this year to date received approximately €70,000 of the €550,000 it needs to keep operating until the end of February, leaving the service facing a shortfall of €480,000. The service is provided in conjunction with the National Ambulance Service which covers the cost of medical personnel, medical equipment and medical consumables with the ICRR covering all flying related costs.

Source: The Irish Times January 29, 2020 12:44 UTC