A second emergency telephone number has been introduced to operate alongside the 999 emergency service, writes Catherine Cleary. The new number, 112, should mean that a mugging victim in Munster could dial the same number as their unfortunate counterpart in Munich and each would be connected to their national emergency service.
Like a telecommunications football draw, Ireland is grouped with Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Iceland, Portugal, Sweden, Britain and Turkey who all share the 112 emergency number. However, Turkey complicates the game a little more by using 112 for ambulance only and having two other numbers for fire and police services.
The new 112 number should eventually work in any EU state to contact a caller with that country's emergency services. The Irish 112 number, which
was in operation yesterday, will connect callers to the same switch as the 999 number used to dial the Garda, ambulance, fire brigade, marine, mountain and cave rescue. The number, the result of a 1994 EU directive, will operate alongside 999, according to the Garda press office. A spokesman for the Department of Public Enterprise said the number would standardise the emergency phone numbers across Europe.