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Dial 999 or 112 in an emergency and you will be connected to the service you require – police, fire, ambulance or coastguard.

The police force in the Irish Republic is called the Garda Siochana . An individual male police officer is called a garda and a female police officer is called a bean garda .

Police car

Beaumont, St James’s and St Vincent’s hospitals all have a 24-hour accident and emergency department. Dublin Dental Hospital serves emergency dental needs and the Eye and Ear Royal Victoria Hospital has an out-patient surgery every day.

EU visitors can claim free medical treatment in the Republic of Ireland if they have a form E111 from their own country, available at post offices. To avoid paying for any treatments or prescribed medicines in the event of serious illness, you will need to show your E111 and some identification, such as a driving licence or passport. Make sure that the doctor treating you knows you have an E111 form. Visitors from outside the EU are advised to take out their own accident and health insurance before travelling or be willing to pay for treatment received.

An extensive range of medical supplies is available over the counter at pharmacies but many medicines can only be obtained with a prescription from a local doctor. If you have, or are likely to have, any special medical needs it is worth having a letter from your own doctor giving the generic name of any medication you might require. There is a late night pharmacy in O’Connell Street.

For emergency dental treatment you can go to the Dublin Dental Hospital in Lincoln Place. They also have an after-hours answering service giving appropriate information. Conor Gallagher dentist is happy to deal with visitor emergencies.

Street crime does exist in Dublin, as in any capital city, but sensible precautions should be sufficient to keep you out of trouble. Avoid back streets or poorly lit areas at night. Don’t carry around obviously expensive equipment, which will draw attention. If you are unlucky enough to be mugged or attacked, inform the police straight away.

To avoid theft, don’t leave things unattended in restaurants or galleries. If you have a car, lock everything in the boot (trunk) where it cannot be seen.

If you have any property stolen, report it to the police immediately – you cannot make an insurance claim without the police report. The main bus and rail stations have lost property offices.

There are quite a lot of homeless people begging in the streets in Dublin, but they are generally unaggressive and it is a personal choice whether you give handouts or not.