Pilot 112 SMS Service

The Pilot 112 SMS service lets deaf, hard of hearing and speech-impaired people in the Republic of Ireland send an SMS text message* to the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) where it will be passed to An Garda Síochána, the Ambulance service, the Fire service, or the Irish Coastguard. The ECAS operator will act as a relay between the texter and the required emergency service.

The Pilot 112 SMS will run for a period of 6 months until the end of June 2012, whereupon it will be reviewed in full. Following this review, a decision will be made whether to extend the Pilot period beyond June 2012, or make the service available on a full-time basis, amend it or withdraw it.

There are limitations with using SMS technology and all users should make themselves aware of the terms and conditions associated with The Service. If you are able to make a voice call to 112 or 999 please do so.

Before you can use the Pilot 112 SMS service, you will need to register your mobile phone. Click on Registering Your Phone for more information.

Simply by sending an SMS message to 112 you can call for help and the emergency services will be able to reply to you through the ECAS operator.

Remember that this is an Emergency Service and should only be used in an emergency situation such as when:


  • Life is at risk
  • Crime/trouble is happening now
  • Someone is injured or threatened
  • Person committing crime is near
  • There is a fire or people trapped
  • You need an ambulance urgently
  • Someone is in trouble, or missing, at sea,
  • Someone is in trouble on the cliffs or on the shoreline
  • The Pilot 112 SMS service is not available from your landline.

Only emobile, Meteor, Three, O2 and Vodafone are participating in the Pilot at this time. The remaining mobile phone communication companies are hoping to join the Pilot shortly.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing and need help with registration, please contact your support organisation.

* An SMS text message is a non real-time service and therefore there is no guarantee that your SMS will be delivered.