Emergency Services in Ireland: 999, A&E, and Urgent Care Guide (2026)
On this page
The number for any emergency in Ireland is 999 or 112 — both work, both are free from any phone (including a mobile with no credit). Pick the right service for the situation: a busy Dublin A&E can mean 8+ hours of waiting for non-urgent issues, while an out-of-hours GP service or a Minor Injury Unit will see you in 1–2 hours. Public inpatient hospital care has been free for everyone since 17 April 2023, but a €100 A&E charge still applies if you’re not admitted and don’t have a GP referral or medical card.
Where to go for what
| Situation | Where to go | Typical cost | Wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life-threatening emergency (chest pain, stroke, severe trauma, breathing difficulty, anaphylaxis) | Call 999/112, or go to A&E | €0 ambulance; €0 if admitted | Immediate |
| Serious injury/illness, not life-threatening | A&E | €100 if discharged (free with medical card or GP referral) | 4–12 hr |
| Minor fracture, sprain, cut, burn, minor head injury | Minor Injury Unit (MIU) | €100 if discharged (€75 in some MIUs); free with medical card | 1–2 hr |
| Sudden illness evenings/weekends, can’t wait until Monday | Out-of-hours GP (SouthDoc, D-Doc, NorthDoc etc.) | €60–€80; free with medical card | 1–3 hr |
| Non-urgent issue during the day | Your GP | €50–€70 | Same-day to days |
| Minor ailment (cold, allergy, mild ache, advice) | Pharmacy | €0 advice + cost of any OTC meds | Walk-in |
| Mental health crisis | A&E (in crisis) or 116 123 Samaritans / 1800 247 247 Pieta House / text HELLO to 50808 | Free | Immediate |
The most common newcomer mistake is going straight to A&E for things a Minor Injury Unit or out-of-hours GP would handle in a fraction of the time at lower cost.
Calling 999 or 112
Operator answers, asks which service (ambulance / fire / Garda / coast guard). Be ready to give:
- Exact location — Eircode is ideal (every Irish address has one). For unaddressed locations, the What3Words app gives a precise three-word location code that the dispatcher can use.
- The nature of the emergency in one short sentence
- The number of people involved and obvious dangers (fire, traffic, water)
- Whether the patient is breathing and conscious if it’s medical
Stay on the line. Dispatchers routinely talk callers through CPR, choking response, severe-bleed control and childbirth while help is en route. Don’t hang up unless you’re told to.
Response times: 10–20 minutes in urban areas, 20–40 minutes in rural areas, longer in remote west-coast or upland areas. The National Ambulance Service prioritises by clinical risk, not call order.
A&E and Minor Injury Units
Major A&E departments serve every Irish region:
- Dublin: St James’s, Beaumont, Mater, Tallaght, Connolly, St Vincent’s
- Cork: Cork University Hospital (CUH), Mercy
- Galway: University Hospital Galway
- Limerick: University Hospital Limerick
- Other: Waterford, Sligo, Letterkenny, Drogheda, Tullamore, plus regional hospitals
Find your nearest A&E or MIU at hse.ie.
On arrival:
- Register at reception (name, DOB, address, PPS number, medical card if any)
- Triage nurse assesses you against the Manchester Triage System — categories 1 (immediate) to 5 (non-urgent)
- Wait by category — most urgent always first, regardless of arrival order
Cost:
| Scenario | Cost |
|---|---|
| Admitted as inpatient (any age) | Free since 17 April 2023 — the previous €80/day charge has been abolished |
| Treated in A&E and discharged, no referral | €100 |
| Treated in A&E and discharged, with GP referral letter | Free |
| Medical card holder | Free |
| Under 6 / over 70 (most cases) | Free |
| MIU visit | €75–€100 (same exemptions as A&E) |
The €100 A&E charge isn’t paid on the day — the bill arrives by post weeks later.
Out-of-hours GP services
When your regular GP practice is closed, the local out-of-hours co-op handles urgent (but not emergency) cases. They triage by phone, offer telephone advice, see you at a co-op centre, or do a home visit if medically necessary.
| Region | Service | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Clare, Waterford | SouthDoc | 1850 335 999 |
| Galway, Mayo, Roscommon | WestDoc / Shannondoc | 1850 212 999 |
| Dublin north | NorthDoc | 1850 224 477 |
| Dublin south | D-Doc | 1850 224 477 |
| North-East | NEDoc | 1850 600 999 |
| Donegal | NowDoc | 1850 400 911 |
| Midlands & rest | Various | Find at hse.ie/out-of-hours |
Hours: typically 6pm–8am weeknights, all weekend, and public holidays. Cost: €60–€80 per visit; free with a medical card or GP visit card.
Pharmacies
Pharmacist consultations for minor ailments are free (you only pay for any over-the-counter medication). Pharmacists in Ireland can advise on, and supply OTC treatment for: colds, flu, sore throat, hayfever, mild skin conditions, minor pain, indigestion, insect bites, pink eye, period pain. They’ll tell you if you should see a GP.
Most pharmacies open ~9am–6pm weekdays, ~9am–1pm Saturdays. Late-night and 24-hour pharmacies exist in larger cities — search “24 hour pharmacy [city]” or check pharmacyfinder.ie.
Mental health emergencies
If someone is in immediate danger to themselves or others, go to A&E (or call 999) — psychiatric assessment is available through the emergency department. For crisis support short of that:
| Service | Number / Text | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Samaritans | 116 123 | 24/7, free, confidential |
| Pieta House (suicide & self-harm crisis) | 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444 | 24/7, free |
| Text 50808 | Text HELLO to 50808 | 24/7 anonymous |
| Aware (depression / anxiety) | 1800 80 48 48 | 10am–10pm |
| Childline (under 18) | 1800 66 66 66 | 24/7 |
| Women’s Aid (domestic abuse) | 1800 341 900 | 24/7 |
Non-crisis mental health support starts with your GP, who can refer to community mental health services or to private counselling (€60–€150/session).
Specific emergency protocols
Choking — encourage coughing if they can; if not, 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades, then 5 abdominal thrusts (Heimlich). Call 999 if not resolved.
Heart attack (chest pain/pressure, pain to arm/jaw/neck, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea) — call 999, sit them down, give 300mg aspirin chewed if available, loosen tight clothing, be ready for CPR.
Stroke — FAST: Face drooping, Arms can’t be raised together, Speech slurred, Time to call 999. Note the time symptoms started — clot-busting treatment is time-critical.
Anaphylaxis (breathing difficulty, throat/face swelling, hives, dizziness) — call 999, use the EpiPen if they have one (outer thigh, through clothing if necessary), lie them flat with legs raised, second dose after 5 minutes if no improvement.
Severe bleeding — direct firm pressure with a clean cloth, don’t lift the cloth to check, raise the injured area above heart level if possible, call 999 if it doesn’t slow.
Burns — cool under cool running water for 15–20 minutes (not ice), cover loosely with cling film. 999 for burns larger than 3 inches, deep, or on face/hands/genitals/airway.
Poisoning — National Poisons Information Centre 01 809 2166 for advice, or 999 if serious. Don’t induce vomiting. Keep the container.
Childhood red flags (go to A&E or call 999): blue lips/skin, drowsy or unresponsive, fever with a rash that doesn’t blanch under pressure, persistent vomiting, severe head injury, first-time seizure, breathing difficulty.
Other emergency services
| Service | Number | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Garda (police) | 999/112 in emergency; non-emergency call your local station | Crime in progress, threats to safety, traffic incidents |
| Garda Confidential | 1800 666 111 | Anonymous information about crime |
| Irish Coast Guard | 999/112 ask for Coast Guard | Sea, lake, cliff incidents |
| Mountain Rescue | 999/112 ask for Mountain Rescue | Hill-walking, climbing emergencies |
| Childline | 1800 66 66 66 | Children in distress (under 18) |
| ISPCC (children’s protection) | 01 676 7960 | Child welfare concerns |
For visitors and tourists
Emergency care is provided to anyone in Ireland regardless of residency, immigration status or insurance — and you will not be turned away in a genuine emergency. Bills come afterwards.
- EU/EEA visitors: the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers emergency public-hospital care on the same terms as Irish residents.
- UK visitors: UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) works similarly to EHIC.
- Non-EU visitors: travel insurance is essential — full-price hospital admissions and ambulance transfers can run into thousands of euro.
Verification
This guide reflects HSE policy and pricing as of 1 May 2026: HSE Emergency Departments, hospital charges, out-of-hours GP services, Citizens Information on emergency services, and the National Ambulance Service. The €80/day public inpatient charge was abolished on 17 April 2023 and remains abolished.
For more on how the system works overall: healthcare in Ireland, finding and registering with a GP, private health insurance.
Frequently asked questions
When should I go to A&E in Ireland?
For anything genuinely life-threatening, possibly serious (chest pain, severe head injury, suspected stroke, severe bleeding, breathing difficulty), or after-hours injuries that cannot wait. For non-urgent illness, your GP, the local out-of-hours GP service (SouthDoc, D-Doc, NorthDoc, etc.) or a Minor Injury Unit is usually faster and cheaper than A&E.
How long are A&E waits in Ireland?
Variable. Genuine emergencies are seen immediately — triage decides priority. Less urgent issues at a busy Dublin A&E can mean 6–12 hours of waiting, particularly evenings and weekends. Smaller hospitals and Minor Injury Units typically have far shorter waits. A&E charges €100 if you are not admitted (waived with a medical card or GP referral).
What is a Minor Injury Unit and when should I use one?
Smaller HSE units that treat minor fractures, sprains, cuts, burns, minor head injuries and similar issues that are urgent but not life-threatening. Significantly faster than A&E (typical waits 1–2 hours). They cannot treat heart attacks, strokes or anything requiring full A&E equipment. Find your nearest at HSE.ie.
Are emergency services free for tourists or non-residents in Ireland?
Emergency care is provided to anyone regardless of residency or insurance status. Bills follow afterwards. EU citizens with an EHIC card receive emergency care under the same terms as Irish residents. Travel insurance is strongly recommended for anyone visiting — it covers private care, repatriation, and bills you may receive after the fact.
What do I do in a non-medical emergency in Ireland?
Call 999 or 112 and ask for the relevant service: Garda (police) for crime, fire, RTAs, or threats to safety; Coast Guard for sea, lake or cliff incidents; Mountain Rescue (via 999) for hill-walking emergencies. For non-emergency Garda matters, call your local station directly or use Garda Confidential at 1800 666 111.
What should I have ready when calling 999 in Ireland?
The exact location (Eircode is ideal — every Irish address has one), the nature of the emergency, the number of people involved, and any obvious immediate dangers. Stay on the line — the dispatcher may give you instructions while help is on the way. If you do not know the address, describe landmarks; the operator can often locate the call.
The Ireland Moving Checklist: 3 Phases, Every Task, No Surprises
Don't let this be the only task you sort — download the full checklist so nothing expensive or time-sensitive gets missed.
Free. No spam. One-click unsubscribe.
Check your inbox.
The checklist is on its way. Look for an email from Settle News — it has the download link. Add us to your contacts so future updates don't end up in spam.