Written answers
Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Department of Justice and Equality
Departmental Advertising
Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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684. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department is considering proposals to carry out a media campaign on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66134/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Commissioner is responsible for all operational policing matters, including responses by An Garda Síochána to emergency calls and providing information to the public on how to report crime or contact An Garda Síochána.
Under the Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act 2007, responsibility for the 999 or Emergency Call Answering Service contract falls under the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.
An Garda Síochána have published advice on their website encouraging members of the public to always call 112 or 999 in an emergency. An emergency is any incident which requires an immediate Garda response, for example:
- A danger to life
- Risk of serious injury
- Crime in progress or about to happen
- Offender still at scene or has just left.
Calls for service, whether received through a local Garda station or the 112/999 ECAS system, are routed through the Regional Control Centres and prioritised for response. Higher priority calls will always take priority over lower priority calls.
Gardaí aim is to answer 80% of 999 calls within 7 seconds and deploy resources immediately giving an estimated time of arrival. An Garda Síochána will take appropriate steps to deal with all incidents and ensure that emergency and life threatening calls receive priority. They will endeavour to get to callers within 15 minutes in urban locations and as soon as possible, given the distance to be travelled, in more rural areas.
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