EU'S 112 EMERGENCY NUMBER NOT GETTING THROUGH TO THE IRISH - MEP HIGGINS

80 per cent of Irish say not enough is being done to promote 112 - the highest percentage in the EU.

Jim Higgins MEP for Ireland North West has today written to the Minister for Justice, the Minister for the Environment and the Health Minister to ask that the Emergency Services begin putting 112 Emergency number on the side of Garda cars, ambulances, and fire engines.

Speaking in Strasbourg, where he was discussing the EU 112 Day which took place last Friday, he noted Ireland’s poor showing in the euro barometer results on awareness of the EU’s 112 number. “It's hardly surprising that Irish people don’t know about the 112 service . Along with England, we’re the only EU countries not to put the emergency number on our emergency vehicles. It’s alright calling 999 in Salthill, but what would you dial in Ibiza, or Rome, or Malaga, or Athens when you're in an accident? In an emergency, people don't always think clearly, so the number should be out there in people's minds.”

According to eurostat, only 26 per cent of Irish people know that 112 is the EU wide emergency number.  This compares to only 18 per cent this time last year. "I welcome this increase, but really, we must ensure that the EU's 112 number is more prominent in everyday Irish life. 999 does not work in most EU countries"

“Why not place in big digits ONE ONE TWO on the back of a Fire engine? Can you imagine a taxi driver not putting his number on the roof, when he is in the business of call outs?”
Mr Higgins also said that Ireland was doing well in its 112 response times. "0.58 seconds to answer a call on average is a good response time. I was told recently of a case where a Belgian colleague got through to an answering machine explaining that there was 'currently a high volume of calls' and to leave a message. Thankfully this is not the case in Ireland."

Concluding MEP Jim Higgins said “Emergency vehicles are painted to stand out. Now let's paint the 112 number on them so it stands out in people’s minds”

ENDS

Seán De Búrca 0032 487 689 402

Note to editor:

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Full report http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/112/docs/report_2012.pdf