About EHIC

Getting necessary healthcare in other EU / EEA countries

As an Irish resident you are entitled to get healthcare through the public system in countries of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland if you become ill or injured while on a temporary stay there.

Until now, you needed an E form – such as the E111 or the E128 - to get such treatment. Now, these paper forms are being replaced by the European Health Insurance Card. One Card is needed for each individual or member of the family.

The Card was introduced on 1 June 2004. It means that you can get necessary healthcare in the public system of any EU / EEA country or Switzerland, if you become ill or injured while on a temporary stay in that country.

Apply for the European Health Insurance Card if you:

  • Plan to go on holiday to another EU / EEA country or Switzerland
  • Regularly visit any of these countries, for example, on business, as a transport worker or for leisure
  • Plan to go to any of these countries to seek work
  • Are being sent by your employer to work in any of these countries temporarily but will continue to pay tax in Ireland
  • Intend to undertake a course of study in any of these countries but still consider yourself as ordinarily resident in Ireland
  • Intend to visit any of these countries for any other type of temporary stay where healthcare in itself is not the aim of the visit

Travelling to Great Britain or Northern Ireland

You don’t need a European Health Insurance Card to get necessary healthcare while on a temporary visit to the UK. It is enough to show proof that you are ordinarily resident in Ireland – in practice, this means a driving licence, passport or similar document.

If you would like more information, please call your local Health Office:

HSE Dublin North East

North West Dublin Local Health Office: Rathdown Road, Dublin7 Tel 01 882 5000
NorthCentral Dublin Local Health Office: Civic Centre, Ballymun Road, Ballymun, Dublin 9 Tel 01 846 7000
North Dublin Local Health Office: Cromcastle Road, Coolock, Dublin5 Tel 01 816 4200
Cavan: Community Care Offices, Lisdaran, Cavan Tel: 049 436 1822
Monaghan: Community Care Offices, Rooskey, Monaghan Tel: 047 30400
Louth Local Health Office: Community Care Offices, Dublin Road, Dundalk Tel: 042 933 1194
Meath Local Health Office: PCCC, PCT Kells Network, HSE Dublin North East, Navan Road, Kells, Co. Meath Tel: 046 9280508

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HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster
Dun Laoghaire Local Health Office
: Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co.Dublin Tel 01 284 3579
Dublin South East Local Health Office: Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh,Dublin 6 Tel 01 268 0300
Dublin South City Local Health Office: Carnegie Centre, 21-25 Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2 Tel 01 648 6500
Dublin South West Local Health Office: Old County Road, Crumlin, Dublin12 Tel 01 415 4700
Dublin West Local Health Office: Cherry Orchard Hospital, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 Tel: 01 620 6300
Kildare/West Wicklow Local Health Office: St. Mary's, Craddockstown Road, Naas, Co Kildare Tel 045 876 001
Wicklow Local Health Office: Glenside Road, Co. Wicklow Tel 0404 68400
Laois: Health Centre, Dublin Road, Portlaoise Tel 057 86 21135
Offaly: Health Centre, Arden Road, Tullamore Tel 057 93 41301
Longford: Health Centre, Dublin Road, Longford Tel 043 33 50169
Westmeath: Health Centre, Longford Road, Mullingar Tel 044 93 95039

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HSE West

Galway Local Health Office: Community Services, 25 Newcastle Road, Galway Tel 091 523 122
Mayo Local Health Office: County Clinic, Castlebar, Co. Mayo Tel 094 223 33
Roscommon Local Health Office: Community Services, Roscommon, Co Roscommon Tel 090 6637500
Donegal Local Health Office: Ballybofey, Co. Donegal Tel 074 913 1391
Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan Local Health Office: Community Services, Markievicz House, Sligo Tel 071 915 5100
Clare Local Health Office: Community Care Office, Tobartaoscain, Ennis, Co. Clare Tel 065 686 8090
North Tipperary/East LimerickLocal Health Office: Civic Office, Limerick Road, Nenagh Tel 067 46600

Tipperary, Health Service Executive, Civic Offices, Nenagh. Tel 067 46600
Newcastle West Health Centre, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick. Tel 069 62155
Kilmallock Health Centre, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick. Tel 063 98192
Dooradoyle Health Centre, Dooradoyle, Limerick. Tel 061 482 600
Ballynanty Health Centre, Ballynanty, Limerick. Tel 061 457 100
Southill Health Centre, O' Malley Park, Southill, Limerick. Tel 061 410 988
Moyross Health Centre, Moyross, Limerick, Tel 061 326 010
Limerick, Community Care Services, Ballycummin Avenue, Raheen Business Park, Raheen, Limerick Tel 061 483 770

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HSE South
Cork – South Lee Local Health Office: Abbeycourt House, George's Quay, Cork. Tel: 021 496 5511
Cork – North Lee Local Health Office: Abbeycourt House, George's Quay, Cork. Tel: 021 496 5511
West Cork Local Health Office: Coolnagarrane, Skibbereen, Co.Cork Tel: 028 21722
North Cork Local Health Office: Gouldshill House, Mallow, Co. Cork Tel: 022 22220
Carlow: Carlow Community Care, Athy Road, Carlow Tel: 059 91 36520
Kilkenny: Kilkenny Community Care Headquarters, James’s Green, Kilkenny Tel: 056 77 84600
South Tipperary Local Health Office: Western Road, Clonmel Tel: 052 22011
Waterford Local Health Office: Cork Road, Waterford Tel: 051 842 800
Wexford Local Health Office: George’s Street, Wexford Tel: 053 23522
Kerry Local Health Office: 18-20 Denny Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry Tel: 066 712 1566

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EU member states
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
UK (the Card is not essential for access to necessary healthcare in the UK – proof of residency in Ireland is sufficient)

Other EEA member states

Iceland
Liechtenstein
Norway

Other states

Switzerland

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Last updated on: 06 / 01 / 2011


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