Emergency Call Answering Service was out of action from 1am-2.15am
Outage affected approximately 227 callers but were followed up by Gardai
Overnight, the Emergency Call Answering Service was unable to handle Emergency calls between 1am and 2.15am.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications was notified this morning by BT Communications Ireland Ltd (BTCIL) who deliver the 24 hour service.
BTCIL, which has a contract with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications to deliver the Emergency Call Answering Service, has informed the Department that this outage affected approximately 227 callers and that all callers affected by the outage were subsequently followed up with by An Garda Síochána.
The emergency call answering service is responsible for answering all 112 and 999 calls and texts. It links gardaí, fire brigades, ambulances, the coast guard and also includes air traffic control.
Minister Ossian Smyth, who has been briefed on the outage, said the Department has now sought a detailed and comprehensive report from BTCIL on the incident.
While the immediate priority is on ensuring that there is no risk of a similar occurrence in the future, Minister Smyth said that the Department will establish the precise circumstances that gave rise to the service outage and then, in consultation with its legal advisers, determine the consequences under the contract.