Telephone Numbers In The Republic Of Ireland
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Numbers on the Irish telephone numbering plan are regulated and assigned to operators by
ComReg The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) ( ga, An Coimisiún um Rialáil Cumarsáide) is the general communications regulator for Ireland, covering almost all possible types of communications. Founded on 1 December 2002, ComReg too ...
.


Overview

Telephone numbers in Ireland are part of an open numbering plan that allows variations in number length. The Irish format is similar to systems used in many parts of Europe, notably the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Belgium and France, where geographical numbers are organised using a logic of large regional prefixes, which are then further subdivided into smaller regions. It differs from UK numbering, which originated as alphanumeric codes based on town names. Irish Mobile and non–geographic numbers are fixed length and do not support local dialling. The trunk prefix 0 is used to access numbers outside the local area and for all mobile calls. This is followed by an area code, referred to as a National Dialling Code (NDC), the first digit of which indicates the geographical area or type of service (e.g. mobile). Calls made from mobile phones and some VoIP systems always require the full area code and phone number. In common with most European countries, the trunk prefix 0 must be omitted when calling Irish numbers from abroad.


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. As optional local dialling is facilitated, Irish geographic numbers cannot begin with 0 (trunk prefix), 1 (special number prefix) or 999 (emergency services). However, mobile numbers use the full range of digits, as local dialling is not supported on mobile networks, and the area code must always be dialled. 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. There is currently no plan to move to a closed numbering system.


Number formats

Irish geographic numbers vary in length from area to area, but follow standard formats within each area code. The area code, or prefix, is normally separated by a space, or less commonly, may be displayed in parentheses (brackets). Numbers are usually grouped into easy to read clusters, separated by spaces or hyphens for ease of use. The use of spaces is recommended by
ComReg The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) ( ga, An Coimisiún um Rialáil Cumarsáide) is the general communications regulator for Ireland, covering almost all possible types of communications. Founded on 1 December 2002, ComReg too ...
for ease of compatibility with online services, such as linking to a phone number in a mobile browser, copying and pasting into mobile diallers etc Other characters, such as / or . are not used as separators. Area codes / prefixes are always separated from the subscriber number. Merging or reformatting these tends to cause confusion or make numbers look unfamiliar. While formats vary, numbers are usually printed (e.g. in telephone directories) as follows: Geographic: *01 XXX XXXX - Dublin area *0XX XXX XXXX - All other 7-digit areas *0XX XXX XXX - 6-digit areas *0XX XXXXX - 5-digit areas *0X0X XXXXX - 5-digit areas Non-geographic *1800 XXX XXX - Freephone/Toll Free *0818 XXX XXX - Standard Rate Mobile *08X XXX XXXX Mobile M2M (
Machine to Machine Machine to machine (M2M) is direct communication between devices using any communications channel, including wired and wireless. Machine to machine communication can include industrial instrumentation, enabling a sensor or meter to communicate th ...
) *088 XXXXX XXXXX Alphanumeric dialling, using letters as mnemonics for advertising etc is supported, but is rarely used.


Geographical numbering

Irish geographical numbering is structured on a regional basis and follows a logical hierarchy. These directory areas correspond approximately to the following geographical regions: * 01 – Greater Dublin Area * 02 – Cork * 04 – Northeast * 05 – Southeast * 06 – Midwest and Southwest * 07 – Northwest * 09 – West The Midlands is covered by several regional codes. Except for the 01 area, each area is further subdivided into smaller areas (NDCs). Usually, the main city or town in the area is 0x1 e.g. 021 (
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
), 061 (
Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
), 091 (
Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
).


Regional overview

ComReg The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) ( ga, An Coimisiún um Rialáil Cumarsáide) is the general communications regulator for Ireland, covering almost all possible types of communications. Founded on 1 December 2002, ComReg too ...
maintains a map of area code
here


Mobile services

Mobile phone numbers start with the prefix 08x and are part of a closed numbering plan, which means that a mobile phone number must have 10 digits. Calls to landlines and other mobiles require the area code on a mobile phone. New numbers are assigned on prefixes and ranges managed by a specific operator. However, as full
mobile number portability Mobile number portability (MNP) enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network carrier to another. General overview Mobile number portability is implemented in varying ways across ...
has been in operation since 2003, it is no longer possible to reliably identify which network a particular number is on. For example, a newly assigned
Three 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...
number would begin with 083, but may have been ported to another operator in the meantime.


Mobile network operators (MNOs)


Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs)


M2M (Machine to Machine) Communication


Direct to voicemail number

Mobile phone numbers also have their own voicemail number. To access this, the number 5 should be put after the prefix. For example, the mobile number 08x xxx xxxx has the voicemail number 08x 5 xxx xxxx. On some networks, when the direct to voicemail number is called, the voicemail greeting for that network is played (e.g. Vodafone, eir Mobile), while others request a phone number followed by the voicemail greeting for that number (e.g. Three). Users can press the hash key (#) to gain access to the voicemail box.


Calls to Northern Ireland

Although Northern Ireland is part of the UK numbering plan, a special arrangement exists for calling Northern Irish 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 Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...
landline 90xx xxxx, subscribers can dial either 048 90xx xxxx or 00 44 28 90xx xxxx. Northern Ireland 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. Numbers should be dialled as follows: 00 –
country code Country codes are short alphabetic or numeric geographical codes (geocodes) developed to represent countries and dependent areas, for use in data processing and communications. Several different systems have been developed to do this. The term ...
– area code – local number
. All mobile phones and some VoIP services also support the international E.164 number format, so a + may be optionally used instead of 00.


Reserved numbers

*03 – reserved for future changes in the numbering plan *07 – all except 0707, 0700, 071, 074 and 076 are reserved without assigned purpose *0707 – reserved for personal numbering *0800 – reserved


Special numbers

*00 – international access *020 91x xxxxdrama use (although the rest of 020 is free) *0700 – personal numbering *076
VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also called IP telephony, is a method and group of technologies for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. The terms Internet t ...
services - (being withdrawn.) *080 – mailbox for landline users (formerly access code for Northern Ireland) *089 011 0xxx - drama use


Speed dial short numbers to contact carriers

*1901 – eir *1902
Digiweb Digiweb is a telecommunications company in Ireland, supplying business and consumer broadband and web hosting. Digiweb is 100% Irish-owned and run, and is headquartered in Dundalk, County Louth, with its technical, installation and sales offic ...
*1903 – Tesco Mobile *1904
BT Ireland BT Communications (Ireland) Limited is a telecommunications and internet company in Ireland. It is a subsidiary of BT Group plc. History Esat Telecom The company was founded in 1990 by a consortium headed by business magnate Denis O'Brien and ...
*1905 – eir mobile *1907 – Vodafone Ireland *1908 – Virgin Mobile Ireland *1913 – Three Ireland *1910
Magnet Networks Magnet Networks is an Irish company providing telephone, television and broadband internet via subscription over an optical fiber-HFC cable network. Magnet Networks was launched in Dublin in 2004, and is wholly owned by the US-based international ...
*1977 – NUACOM Ireland


Operator services

General operator assistance no longer exists in Ireland. *118xx – Directory enquiries (multiple commercial providers offer a variety of services in this number range)


Emergency services

The emergency number for Ireland is 112. This is harmonised across the EU. To avoid confusion, the long–established 999 continues to be advertised alongside 112. Either number can be dialed.


Services provided

*
Ambulance An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...
*
Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gover ...
*
Fire and rescue A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...
*
Irish Coast Guard The Irish Coast Guard (IRCG; ga, Garda Cósta na hÉireann ) is part of the Department of Transport of Ireland. The primary roles of the Coast Guard include maritime safety and search and rescue. The ''Irish Marine Search and Rescue Region'' ( ...
* Cliff and mountain rescue


SMS emergency service

112 can also be contacted by
SMS Short Message/Messaging Service, commonly abbreviated as SMS, is a text messaging service component of most telephone, Internet and mobile device systems. It uses standardized communication protocols that let mobile devices exchange short text ...
. While the service is open to all users, it is primarily aimed at the deaf community. Pre-registration is required. Further information can be found a
112.ie


Premium rate numbers


Premium rate voice

Irish premium rate telephone numbers start with 15 and are read in two-digit blocks e.g. 1550 is "fifteen fifty". The rates given below are from ComReg and are indicative only. One must check with their specific telephone service provider for exact rates.


Premium rate SMS

A special 50XXX code is used for free–of–charge SMS. Premium rate services in Ireland are regulated by ComReg.


Non–geographic numbers (Freephone & Standard rate)

Irish non-geographic numbers consist of two national prefixes and the international freephone service. * 0818 - Charged as landline call, and are included in bundled minutes. 6-digit numbers in the format 0818 XXX XXX * 1800 - Freephone / toll free (from all Irish mobile and landlines. 6-digit numbers in the format 1800 xxx xxx * 00 800 - Freephone / toll free (from all Irish mobile and landlines. 8-digit numbers in the format 00 800 xxxx xxxx Where high volume 'bursty traffic' is anticipated, such as on-air radio competition lines, the first two digits of the phone number are always 71. For example: 1800 71x xxx or 0818 71x xxx. This allows the telephone network to manage traffic during number analysis, even before the call is routed. Ireland's non-geographic numbers and pricing structures were simplified and old shared-cost prefixes were withdrawn on 1 January 2022. These changes mean that calls to non-geographic numbers are either freephone, or always included in call bundles, ensuring consumers are not confused by out of bundle, or other unusual charges. Due to the
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
crisis, several numbers in the 1850 and 1890 ranges will remain in service until 2023. This is to avoid disruption to essential health services during a time of high volumes of calls. These will remain in service until 30 November 2023, alongside new numbers that have replaced them. Advertising of these numbers will cease. Calls to these numbers will be charged on the same basis as calls to landlines or 0818 and included in call bundles. Freephone numbers are free to call from mobile handsets; however, the recipient can elect to refuse mobile–originated calls or choose to accept calls only from predefined geographical region(s). NB: 1800 can only be dialled from within Ireland. Numbers should never be printed or presented in the international format +353 1800 as these clash with working Dublin landline numbers in the 01 area +353 1 800 xxxx. Alternative geographic numbers, or an 0818 number should be used instead, if international access is required. Following a 2019 review of non–geographic numbers Comreg decided to withdraw and close the 1850, 1890 and 076 number ranges by 1 January 2022. During the transition period, these ranges were geo–rated (charged as if they are geographical numbers). From August 2019, various telecoms providers announced price changes which took effect on, or just before, 1 December 2019, includin
Virgin Media Businessin2telVirgin MediaeirTesco MobileThreeDigiwebPure Telecom48 months
an
Sky
From 1 January 2022 callers to the withdrawn prefixes receive recorded announcements.


Internet access numbers

*1891 – reduced cost internet access (possibly timed) *1892 – local rate internet access (timed) *1893 – variable cost internet access (timed)


Carrier selection (per call)

*13xxx – carrier selection (third party long distance, international and internet services). These codes override the default carrier.
Carrier preselect Carrier preselect is a term relating to the telecommunications industry. It is a method of routing calls for least-cost routing (LCR) without the need for programming of PBX telephone system. This is the process whereby a telephone subscriber who ...
is normally used where the exchange automatically uses the customer's preferred provider(s).


Network engineering codes

*199xxx... – network operator-specific engineering codes (undefined length). These codes are generally not published.


Line information codes

These services give the user more information about their phone line (applicable only to lines provided using the OpenEir access network.)


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

*199000 – reads out the subscriber's telephone number.


Check preset carrier

Check which carrier a subscriber is using for each category of call: *19800 – international calls *19822 – local calls *19801 – calls to other parts of the Republic of Ireland, Irish mobile numbers and landlines in Northern Ireland.


Voicemail

*171 – used to access voicemail on all networks: fixed line (POTS and Cable), all mobile operators and many VoIP providers.


Call management services / supplementary service codes

Special short codes are used to control various supplementary services offered by digital local exchanges. These services were first introduced as PhonePlus in 1981, 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 Virgin Media Ireland is Liberty Global's telecommunications operation in Ireland. It is the largest digital cable television provider within the country. As of 31 December 2014, the company offers broadband internet, digital television and ...
and on VoIP providers.


PSTN lines and some ISDN services


Caller ID services

*141 – caller ID default override – withhold caller ID on this call *142 – caller ID default override – present caller ID on this call *1471 – check last missed call. The system will verbally announce details of the last missed call *#93# – delete missed call information from network memory


Call waiting

**43# – setup **#43# – check status *#43# – cancel


=Answering call waiting

= *R0 – reject call (or send to voicemail) and temporarily suspend call waiting service for this call. *R1 – answer waiting call and disconnect current call. *R2 – answer waiting call and place current call on hold/or swap between calls. *R3 – merge both calls into a three–way call.


Conference/three–way calling

*While on a phone call a subscriber can press the R key on their phone and dial the number they wish to add to the conversation. *Dial R3 to begin conference/three–way call. *R2 allows a subscriber to separate the calls and swap between them.


Call hold / transfer to another extension

*R – places call on hold. Hang up and telephone will ring until call on hold is picked up again.


Call forwarding (unconditional)

**21*(phone number)# – forward all calls to (phone number) **#21# – check status *#21# – deactivate When this service is active, the dial tone changes to a two–frequency 'siren' tone.


Alarm / reminder call

**55* ime in 4–digit 24h format e.g. for 8:30 am dial *55*0830# **#55# – check status *#55# – cancel 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.


Services on Virgin Media Ireland cable network

(Codes are unique to
Virgin Media Ireland Virgin Media Ireland is Liberty Global's telecommunications operation in Ireland. It is the largest digital cable television provider within the country. As of 31 December 2014, the company offers broadband internet, digital television and ...
and do not follow ETSI guidelines)


Caller ID services

*141 – caller ID default override – withhold caller ID on this call *142 – caller ID default override – present caller ID on this call


Call forwarding


=Call forwarding (unconditional)

= **70 – immediately followed by (phone number) *#70 – deactivate


=Forwarding to voicemail

= **75 – activate when busy *#75 – deactivate when busy **77 – forward if unanswered *#77 – deactivate if unanswered


Call waiting

**72 – activate *#72 – deactivate


=Answering call waiting

= *R1 – answer waiting call and disconnect current call. *R2 – answer waiting call and place current call on hold or swap between calls.


Anonymous call rejection

**90 – activate *#90 – deactivate


Redial last number called

*## The subscriber will either hear a tone or a voice message to confirm services have been set up or deactivated.


Mobiles

*GSM supplementary service codes – All of Ireland's mobile providers use the standard GSM codes to control special services such as call forwarding, barring, call waiting etc.


Number changes

Several major number changes have occurred since 1990. The telephone number changes in Dublin and Cork took several years to complete, as they were busier area codes with few available lead digits. Other number changes took place in just one step, with all numbers being changed simultaneously. To minimise disruption simultaneous working was enabled, allowing old numbers to remain mapped and active for a run-in period of one year. Caller ID only displayed the new numbers. This was followed by recorded announcements which remained active for at least a year, advising callers of the number change. Eventually this would be replaced by a dialling error message.


1990 - 1994

Dublin (01) changes to 7-digits. * All local numbers with the area code 01 changed from 6–digits to 7–digits in five stages between 1990 and 1994: **On 2 April 1990, numbers beginning with 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 70 and 79 were prefixed with 6. **On 8 April 1991, numbers beginning with 8 and 69 were prefixed with 2. **On 4 April 1992, numbers beginning with 4 and the remaining 6–digit numbers beginning with 2 were prefixed with 8. Numbers beginning with 95 and 98 were prefixed with 2. **On 24 April 1993, numbers beginning with 75, 780, 781, 782, 783 and 784 were prefixed with 4, while numbers beginning with 60, 61, 68, 71, 76, 77, 785and 789 were prefixed with 6, and numbers beginning with 72, 73, 74, 786, 787 and 788 were prefixed with 8. **On 16 April 1994, numbers beginning with 3 were prefixed with 8, while numbers beginning with 5 and 9 were prefixed with 4.


1998–2000

Cork (021) changes to 7 digits. * All local numbers with the area code 021 changed from 6–digits to 7–digits in two stages. ** From September 1998, numbers beginning with 40 were prefixed with 2, while numbers beginning with 43 and 33 were prefixed by 7. ** From February 2000, numbers beginning with 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 were prefixed with 4.


2000 - 2001

* All local numbers with the area code 041 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
minimum numbering area (MNA) were prefixed by 98 and in the
Ardee Ardee (; , ) is a town and townland in County Louth, Ireland. It is located at the intersection of the N2, N52, and N33 roads. The town shows evidence of development from the thirteenth century onward but as a result of the continued devel ...
MNA by 68. * All local numbers with the area code 042 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Dundalk Dundalk ( ; ga, Dún Dealgan ), meaning "the fort of Dealgan", is the county town (the administrative centre) of County Louth, Ireland. The town is on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the east coast of Ireland. It is h ...
MNA were prefixed by 93, in the Carrickmacross MNA by 96 and the
Castleblayney Castleblayney (; ) is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town had a population of 3,607 as of the 2016 census. Castleblayney is near the border with County Armagh in Northern Ireland, and lies on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry and Let ...
MNA by 97. * All local numbers with the area code 049 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road that links Dublin (to the south) with Enniskillen, Bally ...
MNA were prefixed by 43, in the
Cootehill Cootehill (; ) is a market town and townland in County Cavan, Ireland. Cootehill was formerly part of the neighbouring townland of Munnilly. Both townlands lie within the barony of Tullygarvey. The English language name of the town is a port ...
MNA by 55, in the Oldcastle MNA by 85 and the
Belturbet Belturbet (; ) is a town in County Cavan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It lies on the N3 road (Ireland), N3 road, around north of Cavan town and from Dublin. It is also located around south of the border with Northern Ireland, between the c ...
MNA by 95. * All local numbers with the area code 065 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Ennis Ennis () is the county town of County Clare, in the mid-west of Ireland. The town lies on the River Fergus, north of where the river widens and enters the Shannon Estuary. Ennis is the largest town in County Clare, with a population of 25,27 ...
MNA were prefixed by 68, in the
Ennistymon Ennistymon or Ennistimon () is a country market town in County Clare, near the west coast of Ireland. The River Inagh, with its small rapids known as the Cascades, runs through the town, behind the main street. A bridge across the river leads to ...
MNA by 70 and the Kilrush MNA by 90. * All local numbers with the area code 066 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Tralee Tralee ( ; ga, Trá Lí, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County ...
MNA were prefixed by 71, in the
Dingle Dingle ( Irish: ''An Daingean'' or ''Daingean Uí Chúis'', meaning "fort of Ó Cúis") is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about southwest of Tralee and northwest of Kill ...
MNA by 91, in the
Cahirciveen Cahersiveen (), sometimes Cahirciveen, is a town on the N70 national secondary road in County Kerry, Ireland. As of the 2016 CSO census, the town had a population of 1,041. Geography Cahersiveen is on the slopes of 376-metre-high Bentee, a ...
MNA by 94 and the
Killorglin Killorglin () is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. As of the 2016 CSO census, the town's population was 2,199. Killorglin is on the Ring of Kerry tourist route, and annual events include the August Puck Fair festival, which starts with the crown ...
MNA by 97. * The prefix 080 was previously used for calls to
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, but this changed to 048 following the
Big Number Change The Big Number Change addressed various issues with the telephone dialling plan in the United Kingdom, during the late-1990s and early-2000s. The first was an update to a small number of geographic dialling codes in response to the rapid late-19 ...
.


2002–2003

* Area codes in parts of counties Meath and
Offaly County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in h ...
were merged into the single area code 046, including
Navan Navan ( ; , meaning "the Cave") is the county town of County Meath, Ireland. In 2016, it had a population of 30,173, making it the tenth largest settlement in Ireland. It is at the confluence of the River Boyne and Blackwater, around 50&nb ...
,
Nobber Nobber ( – referring to the description by the local native Irish population, to the development of moat around a Norman castle) is a village in north County Meath, Ireland. The village is located near a river called the Dee () and near White ...
, Kells,
Trim Trim or TRIM may refer to: Cutting * Cutting or trimming small pieces off something to remove them ** Book trimming, a stage of the publishing process ** Pruning, trimming as a form of pruning often used on trees Decoration * Trim (sewing), or ...
,
Enfield Enfield may refer to: Places Australia * Enfield, New South Wales * Enfield, South Australia ** Electoral district of Enfield, a state electoral district in South Australia, corresponding to the suburb ** Enfield High School (South Australia) ...
and
Edenderry Edenderry (; ) is a town in east County Offaly, Ireland. It is near the borders with Counties Kildare, Meath and Westmeath. The Grand Canal runs along the south of Edenderry, through the Bog of Allen, and there is a short spur to the town ...
. The 0405 area code was abolished. All local numbers became 7–digit. * All local numbers with the area code 056 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...
MNA were prefixed by 77, in the
Castlecomer Castlecomer (Irish: ''Caislean an Chumai'' meaning "the castle at the confluence of the waters") is a town in the north of County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is positioned at the meeting of N78 and R694 roads about north of Kilkenny city. At th ...
MNA by 44 and the Freshford MNA by 88. * Area codes in
County Carlow County Carlow ( ; ga, Contae Cheatharlach) is a county located in the South-East Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Carlow is the second smallest and the third least populous of Ireland's 32 traditional counties. Carlow Cou ...
and parts of counties
Kildare Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional ce ...
,
Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...
,
Laois County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medi ...
and
Wicklow Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has ...
were merged into a new area code 059, including
Carlow Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2016 census, it had a combined urban and rural population of 24,272. The River Barrow flows through the town and forms the historic bounda ...
,
Muine Bheag Bagenalstown ( ), officially named Muine Bheag (), is a small town on the River Barrow in County Carlow, Ireland. History and name The town grew within the townland of Moneybeg, from Irish ''Muine Bheag'' or ''Muinebheag'' (meaning "small th ...
, Athy and
Baltinglass Baltinglass, historically known as Baltinglas (), is a town in south-west County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on the River Slaney near the border with County Carlow and County Kildare, on the N81 road. Etymology The town's Irish name, ''Be ...
. The area codes abolished were 0503, 0507 and 0508. All local numbers became 7–digit. * Area codes in
County Sligo County Sligo ( , gle, Contae Shligigh) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the Border Region and is part of the province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in the county. Sligo County Council is the local ...
and
County Leitrim County Leitrim ( ; gle, Contae Liatroma) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the ...
and parts of counties
Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road that links Dublin (to the south) with Enniskillen, Bally ...
, Donegal and
Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who buil ...
were merged into the single area code 071, including
Sligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...
,
Boyle Boyle is an English, Irish and Scottish surname of Gaelic, Anglo-Saxon or Norman origin. In the northwest of Ireland it is one of the most common family names. Notable people with the surname include: Disambiguation *Adam Boyle (disambiguation), ...
,
Carrick-on-Shannon Carrick-on-Shannon () is the county town of County Leitrim in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the largest town in the county of Leitrim. A smaller part of the town lies in County Roscommon. The population of the town was 4,062 in 2016. It is ...
,
Drumshanbo Drumshanbo (, ridge of the old huts) is a small town situated in the heart of County Leitrim, Ireland. Drumshanbo is surrounded by a scenic area of soft rolling hills, woodlands, lakes and the Sliabh an Iarainn and Arigna mountains. It is a wel ...
,
Manorhamilton Manorhamilton () is the second-largest town in County Leitrim, Ireland. It is located on the N16 from Sligo and from Enniskillen. History Before the Plantations of Ireland, the settlement was known, and continues to be known in the Ir ...
. The area codes abolished were 072, 078 and 079. All local numbers became 7–digit. * The majority of area codes in
County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...
were merged into the single area code 074, including
Letterkenny Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R ...
,
Lifford Lifford (, historically anglicised as ''Liffer'') is the county town of County Donegal, Ireland, the administrative centre of the county and the seat of Donegal County Council, although the town of Letterkenny is often mistaken as holding th ...
,
Ramelton Ramelton (; ), also Rathmelton, is a town and townland in County Donegal, Ireland. , its population was 1,266. History Ramelton is situated at the mouth of the River Lennon, 11 km north of Letterkenny and 4 km south of Milford, on th ...
,
Buncrana Buncrana ( ; ) is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is beside Lough Swilly on the Inishowen peninsula, northwest of Derry and north of Letterkenny. In the 2016 census, the population was 6,785 making it the second most populous town in C ...
,
Dungloe ''An Clochán Liath'', known in English as Dungloe or Dunglow ( ), is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is the main town in The Rosses and the largest in the Donegal ''Gaeltacht''. Dungloe developed as a town in the middle of the 18th century ...
and Donegal. The area codes abolished were 073, 075 and 077. All local numbers became 7–digit. * Area codes in parts of counties
Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
,
Offaly County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in h ...
,
Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who buil ...
,
Westmeath "Noble above nobility" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = , subdivis ...
and
Longford Longford () is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 10,008 according to the 2016 census. It is the biggest town in the county and about one third of the county's population lives there. Longford lies at the meet ...
were merged into a new area code 090, including Athlone,
Banagher Banagher ( or ''Beannchar na Sionna'') is a town in Ireland, located in the midlands, on the western edge of County Offaly in the province of Leinster, on the banks of the River Shannon. It had a population of 3,000 at the height of its econ ...
(North),
Ballinasloe Ballinasloe ( ; ) is a town in the easternmost part of County Galway in Connacht. Located at an ancient crossing point on the River Suck, evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of Bronze Age sites. Built around a 12th-ce ...
,
Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who buil ...
,
Portumna Portumna ( - meaning 'the landing place of the oak') is a market town in the south-east of County Galway, Ireland, on the border with and linked by a bridge to County Tipperary. The town is located to the west of the point where the River Shann ...
.In 2002 the Portumna MNA split from the area code 0509 and merged into the new area code 090. The area codes abolished were 0902, 0903 and 0905. All local numbers became 7–digit. * Area codes in parts of counties
Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
,
Mayo Mayo often refers to: * Mayonnaise, often shortened to "mayo" * Mayo Clinic, a medical center in Rochester, Minnesota, United States Mayo may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Mayo Peak, Marie Byrd Land Australia * Division of Mayo, an Aust ...
,
Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who buil ...
and
Sligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...
were merged into the single area code 094, including
Castlebar Castlebar () is the county town of County Mayo, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Developing around a 13th century castle of the de Barry family, de Barry family, from which the town got its name, the town now acts as a social and economic focal poi ...
, Swinford,
Claremorris Claremorris (; ) is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. It is the fastest growing town in the county. There was a 31% increase in the town's population between 2006 and 2011 an ...
,
Ballinrobe Ballinrobe () is a town in County Mayo in Ireland. It is located on the River Robe, which empties into Lough Mask two kilometres to the west. As of the 2016 census, the population was 2,786. History Foundation and development Ballinrobe is c ...
,
Castlerea Castlerea (; ) is the third largest town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located in the west of the county and had a population of 1,992 at the 2016 Census. Roughly translated from Irish, Castlerea is generally thought to mean 'brindled ca ...
and
Ballaghaderreen Ballaghaderreen () is a town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It was part of County Mayo prior to 1898. It is located just off the N5 National primary road. The population was 1,808 in the 2016 census. History As of 1837, the town was recor ...
. The area codes abolished were 0907 and 092. All local numbers became 7–digit.


2005–2007

* All local numbers with the area code 044 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Rochfortbridge Rochfortbridge () is a village in County Westmeath, Ireland. The village is located at the intersection of the R400 and the R446 (formerly the N6) roads. As of the 2016 census, the population of Rochfortbridge was 1,473. History Rochfortbri ...
MNA were prefixed by 92, in the
Mullingar Mullingar ( ; ) is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. It is the third most populous town in the Midland Region, with a population of 20,928 in the 2016 census. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543 proclaimed Westmeat ...
MNA by 93 and the
Castlepollard Castlepollard ( or ''Cionn Toirc'') is a village in north County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland. It lies west of Lough Lene and northeast of Lough Derravaragh and Mullingar. Name The name ''Castlepollard'' comes from the name of a castle or ...
MNA by 96. * Area codes in
County Wexford County Wexford ( ga, Contae Loch Garman) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was based on the historic Gaelic territory of Hy Kinsella (''Uí Ceinns ...
and parts of counties
Carlow Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2016 census, it had a combined urban and rural population of 24,272. The River Barrow flows through the town and forms the historic bounda ...
and
Wicklow Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has ...
were merged into the single area code 053, including
Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 N ...
,
Enniscorthy Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. At the 2016 census, the population of the town and environs was 11,381. The town is located on the picturesque River Slaney and in close proximity to the ...
,
Ferns A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except th ...
and
Gorey Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''. As a growi ...
. The area codes abolished were 054and 055. All local numbers became 7–digit. * Area codes in counties
Laois County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medi ...
and
Offaly County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in h ...
and parts of counties
Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
and
Westmeath "Noble above nobility" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = , subdivis ...
were merged into the single area code 057, including Portlaoise,
Abbeyleix Abbeyleix (; ) is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located around south of the county town of Portlaoise. Abbeyleix was formerly located on the N8, the main road from Dublin to Cork. At one point, up to 15,000 vehicles passed along the town' ...
,
Tullamore Tullamore (; ) is the county town of County Offaly in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is on the Grand Canal (Ireland), Grand Canal, in the middle of the county, and is the fourth most populous town in the Midland Region, Ireland, midlands reg ...
and Birr. The area codes abolished were 0502, 0506 and 0509. All local numbers became 7–digit.


2009–2010

* All local numbers with the area code 023 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the Bandon MNA beginning with 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 were prefixed by 88, while numbers beginning with 6 were prefixed by 66. * All local numbers with the area code 043 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Longford Longford () is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 10,008 according to the 2016 census. It is the biggest town in the county and about one third of the county's population lives there. Longford lies at the meet ...
MNA were prefixed by 33 and in the
Edgeworthstown Edgeworthstown or Mostrim () is a small town in County Longford, Ireland. The town is in the east of the county, near the border with County Westmeath. Nearby towns are Longford 12 km to the west, Mullingar 26 km to the east, Athlone 4 ...
MNA by 66. * All local numbers with the area code 052 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Clonmel Clonmel () is the county town and largest settlement of County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, Cromwellian army which sacked the towns of Dro ...
MNA were prefixed by 61, in the
Cahir Cahir (; ) is a town in County Tipperary in Ireland. It is also a civil parish in the barony of Iffa and Offa West. Location and access For much of the twentieth century, Cahir stood at an intersection of two busy national roadways: the Dubli ...
MNA by 74 and the
Killenaule Killenaule () is a small town and civil parish in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is part of the ecclesiastical parish of Killenaule and Moyglass, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and the barony of Slievardagh. It is east of ...
MNA by 91. * All local numbers with the area code 064 changed from 5–digit to 7–digit. Numbers in the
Killarney Killarney ( ; ga, Cill Airne , meaning 'church of sloes') is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is on the northeastern shore of Lough Leane, part of Killarney National Park, and is home to St Mary's Cathedral, Ross Castl ...
MNA were prefixed by 66 and in the Rathmore MNA by 77.


Mobile numbering

* Mobile numbering became 7–digit in the mid–1990s


Possible future changes

All local numbers with the area code 01 are currently 7–digits, but may change to 8–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.


Historical numbering


Defunct non-geographic codes

* 1850 – Local rate, shared cost, untimed * 1890 – Local rate, shared cost, timed * 076 or +353 76 – VoIP services All of the above were withdrawn on 1 January 2022.


Defunct access codes

*16 – former international access code *03 – formerly used for calls to Great Britain. The format was 03 + NDC code + local number.''Festivals in Great Britain, Northern Ireland & Eire: A List with Forecast Dates and Policies''
Richard Gregson-Williams, John Offord Publications, 1986, page 108
*08 – formerly used for Northern Ireland landlines *084 – formerly used for Belfast landlines''Ireland: A Directory''
Jim O'Donnell, Institute of Public Administration, 1984, page 247


Defunct operator services

*10 – national operator assistance (withdrawn in 2007) *114 – international operator assistance (withdrawn in 2007) *910 – operator-assisted calls to some areas without direct dialling (withdrawn in the early 1980s) *1190
Telecom Éireann Telecom Éireann (; meaning "Telecommunications of Ireland") was an Irish state-owned telecommunications company that operated from 1983 to 1999. Prior to then a telephone and postal service was provided by the Department of Posts and Telegraph ...
national directory assistance (withdrawn in the early 2000s and replaced with 11811, originally 190) *1197 – Telecom Éireann UK directory assistance (withdrawn in the early 2000s and replaced with 11818, originally 197) *1198 – Telecom Éireann international directory assistance (withdrawn in the early 2000s and replaced with 11818, originally 198) *191 – Telecom Éireann repair services (withdrawn in the late 1990s) *196 – telemessaging services, whereby callers could ask an operator to send a postcard with a printed message (withdrawn in the late 1990s) A range of numbers from 192, 193 and 194 were once used for various Telecom Éireann customer service and account service lines.


Defunct information services

*1191 – speaking clock (withdrawn on 27 August 2018)


Historical Northern Ireland access codes

* before 2000: 08 followed by Northern Irish area code and phone number e.g. Belfast 01232 xxx xxx was reached by dialling 08 01232 xxx xxx. Belfast could previously be reached by dialling 084 in place of the UK area code 0232.


Historical Great Britain access codes

Until the early 1990s, the 03 numbering range was originally used for calls to
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
, including the
Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...
and the
Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...
, with the Irish prefix 030 replacing the UK trunk code 0. Calls to British cities using the
director telephone system The director telephone system was a development of the Strowger or step-by-step (SXS) switching system used in London and five other large cities in the UK from the 1920s to the 1980s. A large proportion (c. 70% to 80%) of telephone traffic in ...
were also possible using shorter codes: *031 – London (01) *032
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
(021) *033
Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
(031) *034
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
(041) *035
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
(051) *036
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
(061)''Ireland, Administration Yearbook and Diary''
Institute of Public Administration, 1980, page 333
031 was replaced with 03071 and 03081 when 01 was split into the area codes 071 and 081 in 1990. Use of 03 for this purpose was discontinued in 1993, when the international access code changed from 16 to 00, with calls to Great Britain (but not Northern Ireland) requiring the country code +44 and the area code in full.''Ireland''
Institute of Public Administration, 1994, page 14


See also

* List of dialling codes in the Republic of Ireland


References

Sources
ITU allocations list


External links


Comreg homepageComreg:Geographic Numbering Areas (pdf)
{{Telephone numbers in Europe
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
Republic of Ireland-related lists