Telephone numbers in the Republic of Ireland

Overview and history

Telephone numbers in Ireland are similar in format to those in many European open numbering plans, for example the UK or Germany, with only the subscriber's number being required for local dialling. However, one can also dial local calls with the full area code without any difference in charge. The trunk prefix is '0' and is followed by an area code, the first digit of which indicates the geographical area. Calls made from mobile phones, however, always require the full area code and phone number.

General structure of Irish numbering

Irish area codes vary in length, between one and three digits (excluding the leading 0), and subscribers' numbers are between five and seven digits. A migration to a standard format, (0xx) xxx xxxx, is in progress; however, to avoid disruption, this process is only being carried out as needed where existing area codes and local numbering systems have reached full capacity.

Geographically assigned

Irish geographical area structured on a regional basis and follow a logical hierarchy of regions and sub-regions. These area codes approximately correspond to the following geographical regions: 01 - Greater Dublin, 02 - South (Cork), 04 (North East), 05 (South East) 06 (Midwest/Southwest), 07 (Northwest), 09 (West). The midlands area is covered by several regional codes.

Codes do not necessarily match county or provincial boundaries, as they evolved to suit technical requirements of the network as it developed over the decades.

Except for the 01 area, each area is further subdivided into smaller areas. Usually, the main city or town in the area is 0X1. (Cork 021, Limerick 061, Galway 091 etc.)

Regional overview

List of major area codes by city/town

ComReg maintains a map of area codes here.

Mobile services

Mobile phone numbers start with the 08x prefix. The prefix, 088, was previously issued to the Eircell analogue service. This has subsequently been issued to Digiweb.

Irish mobile telephone numbering is part of a closed numbering plan. This means that a mobile phone number must have 10 digits. Calls to landlines, and the like, require the area code on mobile phone.

Mobile number portability has been in operation since 2003. While a new connection to any network will take the prefix above, there is no guarantee that a number with one of those prefixes has remained on that network. In addition, a given network is not guaranteed to receive all of their prefix block. The numbers in each prefix are allocated in blocks of several thousand to the networks, as they require them, thus ComReg could in theory, allocate 083 numbers to Vodafone.

A mobile network cannot reliably be identified by its mobile prefix. However, newly issued numbers are currently allocated per network, e.g. a new Three Ireland number would get the 083 prefix.

Direct to voicemail number

Mobile phone numbers in Ireland have their own voicemail number. To access this, the number 5 should be put after the prefix. For example, the mobile number 086 1234567, its voicemail number would be 086 5 1234567.

On some networks, when the direct to voicemail number is called, the voicemail greeting is played (e.g. Vodafone, Meteor, etc.), while others request a phone number, then the voicemail greeting is played for that number (e.g. Three Ireland). Users can press the hash key (#) to gain access to the voicemail box. This can be useful when one's mobile phone is out of battery and one wants to check their voicemail from another number.

Calls to Northern Ireland

Although Northern Ireland is part of the UK (+44) numbering plan, a special arrangement exists for calling Northern Ireland landlines from the Republic of Ireland. Calls to Northern Ireland can be dialled using the 048 prefix or by dialling the number in the full international format. Most Irish operators treat calls to Northern Ireland at national or even local rates. Similar charging arrangements apply when calling the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland.

For example, to reach Belfast landline 90xx xxxx subscribers can dial either:

048 90xx xxxx

or

00 44 28 90xx xxxx

Northern Irish mobile phones use the same mobile numbering and networks as other parts of the UK — calls must be dialled using the 00 44 7xxx xxx xxx format.

International calls

In common with all EU countries, the international access code is 00. Call should be dialled as follows:

00 Country Code Area code (if any) - local number

Mobile phones may also use + instead of the 00 international access code.

Reserved numbers

Special numbers

Operator services

General operator assistance no longer exists in Ireland. It used to be available by dialling 10 from within Ireland.

Emergency services

The emergency number for Ireland is 112, as with most European countries. 999 is also used alongside 112.

Services provided

SMS Emergency Service

Deaf or hard of hearing customers can send an SMS message to 112.

Further information can be found at 112.ie.

Special rate numbers

Special rate numbers in this table are from Eir (landline) and 48 (mobile). Prices correct September 2016.

Internet access numbers

Carrier selection (per call)

Carrier preselect is normally used where the exchange automatically uses the customer's preferred provider(s).

Network engineering codes

Speaking clock

Line information codes

These services give you more information about your phone line (applicable only to eir and Smart Telecom).

Check phone number associated with line / automatic number announcement circuit (ANAC)

Check preset carrier

Check which carrier you are using for each category of call:

Voicemail

Call management services vertical service codes

Vertical service code are used to control various supplementary services offered by digital local exchanges. These services were first introduced as 'PhonePlus' in 1979 on the first generation of Alcatel E10 and Ericsson AXE digital exchanges used in Ireland and were rolled out nationally throughout the 1980s. These services are available on all Irish PSTN lines, regardless of operator. There is a more expansive range of services available, but these are the most commonly used. Different codes apply on cable telephony lines, such as those provided by Virgin Media Ireland and on VoIP providers.

Caller ID Services

Call waiting

Answering call waiting

Conference calling / 3-way calling

Call hold / transfer to another extension

Call forwarding (Unconditional)

When this service is active, the dial tone changes to a two-frequency 'siren' tone.

Alarm / reminder call

Most exchanges confirm setup with a verbal announcement, however some exchanges may use a ringing tone to indicate successful service setup and a busy tone to indicate an error / invalid code.

Caller ID services

Call forwarding

Call forwarding (unconditional)

Forwarding to voicemail

Call waiting

Answering call waiting

Anonymous call rejection

Redial last number called

You will either hear a tone or a voice message to confirm services have been set up or deactivated.

Mobiles

Number changes

Several major number changes have occurred since 2000.

2002–2003

The majority of Area codes in County Donegal were combined into a single area code (074) with 7-digit local numbering. While other parts of South Donegal were combined into the (071) area code (e.g. Bundoran, Rossnowlagh) The area codes abolished were 073, 075 and 077. All local numbers became 7-digit.

Area codes in Sligo and North Leitrim were merged into the single area code 071 with 7-digit local numbering. The area codes abolished were 072, 078 and 079. All local numbers became 7-digit.

In certain regions of Galway and Mayo, area codes were consolidated into a single 094 area code, encompassing Castlebar, Swinford, Claremorris, Ballaghadereen, Castlerae, and Ballinrobe. The previous area codes, 0907 and 092, were discontinued, and all local telephone numbers transitioned to a 7-digit format.

A new area code 090 replaced four codes in the West Midlands including Athlone, Banagher North, Ballinasloe, Roscommon and Portumna. The area codes abolished were 0902, 0903, 0905 and 0509 All local numbers became 7-digit.

In the East Midlands, the area codes were unified under the single 046 area code, which now serves Navan, Nobber, Kells, Trim, Enfield, and Edenderry. The previous 0405 area code was eliminated in this process. Consequently, all local telephone numbers transitioned to a standard 7-digit format.

In 2006–2007

Local numbering changed from 5-digit to 7-digit local in the following area (without area code change). 044 Mullingar numbers were prefixed by 93 and Tyrrellspass numbers were prefixed by 92 and Costlepollard numbers were prefixed by 96.

Numbers in Portlaoise, Birr and Tullamore were merged into a new 057 area code. The area codes abolished were 0502, 0506 and 0509'. All local numbers became 7-digit.

Area codes in the southeast were merged into the single 053 area code including Wexford, Enniscorthy and Gorey. The area codes abolished were 054, 055. All local numbers became 7-digit.

In 2009–2010

Local numbering changed from 5-digit to 7-digit local in the following areas (without area code change). 023 Bandon numbers beginning with 2,3,4,5,7 and 8 were prefixed by 88 while numbers beginning with 6 were prefixed by 66. '043 Longford numbers were prefixed by 33 and Granard numbers were prefixed by 66. 052 Clonmel numbers were prefixed by 61, Cahir numbers were prefixed by 74 and Killenaule numbers were prefixed by 91. 064 Killarney numbers were prefixed by 66 and Rathmore numbers were prefixed by 77.

Older changes

Dublin 01 was changed to 7-digit number in 1994.
Mobile numbering became 7-digit in the mid-1990s
Cork 021 was changed to 7-digit numbers in 1998-1999.
The 066 area code including Tralee and Dingle was moved to 7-digit numbering in 2000.
The 080 prefix was previously used for calls to Northern Ireland, but following the UK's renumbering of Northern Ireland in 2000, this changed to 048.

Possible future changes

Dublin numbers are currently seven digits, but may change to eight digits in the future, although breaking the city into separate area codes would match the rest of the national system. A review and public consultation on the future of Ireland's numbering plan was undertaken.

Defunct access codes

Defunct operator services

Historical codes to access Northern Ireland

Example Belfast (01232) xxx xxx was reached by dialling: 08 01232 xxx xxx

Previously Belfast could be reached by dialling 084 in place of the UK area code 0232

Historical codes to access British numbers

Until the early 1990s, the 03 numbering range was originally used for calls to Great Britain, with the Irish prefix 030 replacing the UK trunk code 0. Calls to British cities using the Director telephone system were also possible using shorter codes:

This was discontinued in 1992, when the international access code changed from 16 to 00, and calls to Great Britain required the country code 44 and the area code in full.

For a short period in the early 1990s, 03000 was used for premium rate services (see below)