Sir, – It was with a sense of incredulity that I read the report that UCD is seeking contributions from the public towards a €1 million fundraising campaign to increase the Covid-19 testing capacity at UCD's National Virus Reference Laboratory ("Delays in testing raise doubts about timing of lifting Irish lockdown", News, April 27th).
The money is to be used, apparently, to fund the purchase of personal protective equipment and hand sanitiser and permit the expansion of testing capacity by 21,000 tests a week.
Given the well-publicised economic and social costs of the lockdown, and the centrality of increased testing to any resumption of normal life, it beggars belief that such fundraising is required.
Perhaps the HSE could find some spare change in its 2020 budget of just over €17 billion? – Yours, etc,
EIVEN CURRAN,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.