Around €850,000 has been spent on the new contact tracing app that's expected to be made available as soon as this week.
After a number of delays, the HSE app is set to be launched in the coming days if it's approved by Cabinet.
The HSE has confirmed to Newstalk that approximately €850,000 will have been spent on the product at launch - a cost it says "compares very favourably" to what other countries have paid have their own apps.
The app will be available on both iOS and Android devices, and will not require any personal data.
All close contact data will be stored on the user's phone, and not on a government server.
Bluetooth will need to be active on the user's phone at all times for the app to work, but the app has been designed to have as little impact on the phone's battery as possible.
The app is designed to detect close contacts of those who have the app installed.
If phone owner A is in close proximity to phone owner B for a prolonged period of time - understood to be 15 minutes or more - and one of those users is subsequently confirmed as having COVID-19, a notification will appear on the other's phone.
The app uses what's known as a 'Bluetooth hand-shake'.
It means no personal information is given out, and nobody will know who or where they came into contact with the virus.
Tests have shown the app is accurately able to detect 72% of close contacts.
The HSE is set to run a communications campaign to promote use of the app, which will be available on an opt-in basis.
In a statement, the executive said: "The Covid Tracker App will allow everyone play their part in better protecting each other and keeping each other safe by becoming part of the contact tracing community.
"The more people that download and use the app, the more effective the app will be in supporting our national fight against COVID-19.
"The costs to launch the app is approximately €850,000. This compares very favourably to what other countries have spent on their National Contact Tracing Apps."
