In Ireland, the public healthcare system is managed by 8 regional health authorities administered by the Ministry of Health. These regional authorities take in charge health care and hospitalization related costs for people on low income.
Ireland is an island in northwest Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean whose main geographical features include low central plains surrounded by a ring of coastal mountains.
The Republic of Ireland is divided into 30 administrative regions, mostly tied to the 26 constituent counties (county Tipperary is divided in two and county Dublin in four).