Short answer. Ireland's official preparedness reference is Be Emergency Ready (2026), published by the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) of the Department of Defence 13. It asks households to keep enough food and water "to see you through an emergency", without a fixed number of days; the only quantified item is drinking water, 2-3 litres per person per day 2. In an emergency, dial 112 or 999 1.
Information on this page and the pages below was checked against official Irish sources on 20 October 2026.
Who is responsible for emergency preparedness in Ireland?
The Office of Emergency Planning, part of the Department of Defence, runs the Be Emergency Ready campaign on behalf of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, supported by Local Government Ireland 13. The booklet runs to 18 pages, with a checklist and a fill-in contact card, and is available online, as audio, in Braille on demand and by post from the OEP 13. A companion page lists 22 national risks drawn from the National Risk Assessment 7.
For nuclear and radiological emergencies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary competent authority 5.
What does each page cover?
| Page | What you will find |
|---|---|
| Emergency supplies | What the 2026 checklist asks households to keep, and the 2-3 litre water figure 2 |
| Kit checklist | The official checklist, line by line 2 |
| Public shelters | Ireland publishes no public shelter network, count or locator 15 |
| Alerts | Radio, TV, websites and Met Éireann warnings today; cell broadcast planned for 2027 4 |
| Iodine | No household distribution; one authorised 65 mg product, listed as not marketed 56 |
| Building a shelter | No official rules or guidance specific to private shelters |
| Emergency contacts | 112 / 999, utility fault lines, HSELive |
Ireland has no official technical standard or approval scheme for shelters, so no shelter-standards page is published for Ireland.
How long should an Irish household plan for?
The OEP sets no fixed duration. Its wording is "Make sure you have enough food and water to see you through an emergency" 2. Other countries choose a number of days; for a comparison point, see our guide on the 72-hour kit and on water per person.
How will I be warned?
Ireland has no national cell broadcast system yet. The Government approved procurement on 5 June 2026, with implementation expected in 2027 4. Until then, warnings go out through national and local radio and TV, official websites, social media and Met Éireann's colour-coded weather warnings. Details are on the alerts page.
Does Ireland hand out iodine tablets?
No. The EPA states that Ireland is "more than 200 km from the nearest nuclear power plants, on the west coast of the UK", and that protective actions such as sheltering, evacuation or iodine tablets would not be necessary for an emergency at a working UK facility 5. See the iodine page.
Where to start
The OEP's own advice is short: "Do what you can: Some preparation is better than no preparation at all" 1. A practical order is the emergency contacts, then the kit checklist, then a household plan (see our family plan guide).
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official emergency booklet in Ireland?
Yes. Be Emergency Ready (2026) from the Office of Emergency Planning, available online, as audio, in Braille on demand and by post 13.
How much water does Ireland recommend?
2-3 litres per person per day of bottled drinking water, kept in a cool, dark place and used before its expiry date 2.
Does Ireland have public bunkers?
Ireland publishes no public shelter network, count or locator 15.
What number do I call in an emergency in Ireland?
112 or 999 1.
Sources
- Office of Emergency Planning, Department of Defence — Be Emergency Ready - Information and advice in case of emergencies (accessible booklet) — https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/749e8ee7/JAV16262_OEP_Preparedness_Campaign_Accessible_EN_V4_Web.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Office of Emergency Planning, Department of Defence — Your checklist (Be Emergency Ready) — https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/cbe65d91/JAV16262_OEP_Preparedness_Campaign_Checklist_EN.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Office of Emergency Planning (gov.ie) — Be Emergency Ready — https://www.gov.ie/en/office-of-emergency-planning/campaigns/be-emergency-ready/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Department of Culture, Communications and Sport — Government Approves Procurement of Cell Broadcast Public Warning System — https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/press-releases/government-approves-procurement-of-cell-broadcast-public-warning-system/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Environmental Protection Agency — Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies — https://www.epa.ie/environment-and-you/radiation/nuclear-and-radiological-emergencies/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) — Potassium iodide G.L. Pharma 65 mg tablets — https://www.hpra.ie/find-a-medicine/for-human-use/authorised-medicines/details/29370 (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Office of Emergency Planning (gov.ie) — Know the risks — https://www.gov.ie/en/office-of-emergency-planning/guides/know-the-risks/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Ireland, worked out for your household.
- Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- Office of Emergency Planning, Department of Defence · Be Emergency Ready - Information and advice in case of emergencies (accessible booklet) checked 2026-10-20
- Office of Emergency Planning, Department of Defence · Your checklist (Be Emergency Ready) checked 2026-10-20
- Office of Emergency Planning (gov.ie) · Be Emergency Ready checked 2026-10-20
- Department of Culture, Communications and Sport · Government Approves Procurement of Cell Broadcast Public Warning System checked 2026-10-20
- Environmental Protection Agency · Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies checked 2026-10-20
- Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) · Potassium iodide G.L. Pharma 65 mg tablets checked 2026-10-20
- Office of Emergency Planning (gov.ie) · Know the risks checked 2026-10-20