Irelands Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) is the Stage-1 PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) responsible for answering all emergency communications from people located in Ireland and onward connecting those emergency communications to the Stage-2 Emergency Services, Garda, Ambulance, Fire Service and Coast Guard in Ireland.
Following the introduction of the Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act of 2007, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR) tendered for a supplier to provide the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) for Ireland. On completion of this open tender process BT was awarded the contract (known as a Concession Agreement) to provide 112 and 999 call answering services on behalf of the State of Ireland.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications conducted a further tender for the operation of the service when the initial concession agreement expired. This renewal tender concluded with the license to provide the service being re-awarded to BT Ireland in 2019.
Ireland’s ECAS can be considered the gateway to the Emergency Services for the public needing assistance. Service Providers and organisations whose users/subscribers require access to the Emergency Services should make arrangements to route these calls to the ECAS.