IRELAND | Emergency | Emergency services
Emergency services in general
In Ireland, you dial 999 or 112 to be connected to an emergency service. You are then asked which service you require:
- Ambulance
- Fire Brigade
- Police/Garda
- Lifeboat
- Mountain/Coastal Rescue
- Other
It is important to remember that the police in Ireland are called the Gardai and are based in Garda stations throughout the country. Please remember to give precise locations and addresses when calling the emergency service. Calls to this service are free of charge and are recorded.
In Ireland, doctors are called GPs (General Practitioners). You usually have to make an appointment and to pay for their services even if you have an EHIC and medical insurance (you can then claim the amount back once you return to your home country). You are strongly advised to check out the situation before ariving in Ireland.
Insurances
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives students access to medically necessary healthcare during temporary stays in most European countries under the same conditions as local residents. It is free of charge and should be carried alongside your regular health insurance documents when completing an internship abroad.
The EHIC will replace the forms (E111 - holidays and E128 - study and employees posted to another country) currently used to authorise the treatment of the nationals of one Member State in another Member State of the Union. The card will be introduced at different dates in the Member States beginning 01.06.2004. Prior to departure, trainees should inquire in their home countries as to the availability of the card.
In relation to private insurance, check on insurance cover prior to departure. There are several companies which offer private insurance to cover personal accidents, personal liability, repatriation and serious illnesses. It is recommended that the trainee is adequately insured prior to departure.
Important documents
You should photocopy the relevant pages of your passport in case of loss or theft and should note the contact number of the relevant embassy/consulate in Dublin. Loss of credit cards should be reported immediately to the hotline of the appropriate credit card company.
Medical emergencies
If you had an accident, you can go the Accident and Emergency (A & E) unit of a hospital, but treatment can be slow and you might have to wait for several hours or longer.