Breakdown cover in Ireland

If you’re planning a trip from the UK to the Republic of Ireland, having breakdown cover in place can bring you peace of mind. While our UK breakdown cover applies to Northern Ireland, it’s important to remember that you’ll need a separate European breakdown cover policy if you’re travelling to the Republic of Ireland from England, Scotland, or Wales.

Get complete peace of mind whilst driving in Ireland. And if you choose our Comprehensive Plus cover, you'll have the best cover on the market¹.

To make sure your trip goes to plan, here’s more information about driving and breaking down in the Republic of Ireland.

What happens if I break down in the Republic of Ireland?

If you’re travelling to Northern Ireland with European Breakdown Cover and need roadside assistance, you won’t be covered. Since it’s part of the UK, you’ll need our UK breakdown cover instead.

If you have RAC European Breakdown Cover:

If you don’t have European breakdown cover:

If you have RAC UK Breakdown Cover

If you live in Northern Ireland, the RAC’s UK breakdown cover is ideal for you. You’ll also be covered in England, Wales and Scotland.

In addition, if your home address is in Northern Ireland and you break down in the Republic of Ireland, the RAC will provide you with Roadside Assistance and a 10-mile tow as standard. If your breakdown cover includes National Recovery, we can tow you from the Republic of Ireland back to your home address, or to a garage in Northern Ireland.

You’ll get a complete breakdown service as standard – including Roadside Assistance and home rescue, and garage support and a 10-mile taxi to your home address, with all cover levels.

Here's a really important bit of information. You can dial 112 from anywhere in Europe and an operator will connect you to an emergency service in the country you're visiting. Operators can answer your call in their native language, English, and French.

You should also store contact details of your accommodation and onward destinations. Then if your plans change because of a breakdown, or you know you’ll be delayed for a long time, you can call ahead and let people know.

If you’re travelling to Europe for a short trip, check out our single trip European breakdown cover product today.

Preparing for your visit to the Republic of Ireland

In many European countries, it’s a legal requirement to carry certain equipment in the car. It’s a little more relaxed in Ireland, which has driving rules much like the UK’s. It’s still best to be prepared though, so reduce the risk of needing roadside assistance in Ireland by following these easy steps.

Documents and paperwork

When driving in Ireland, you’ll need:

A UK sticker is only mandatory if your vehicle’s number plate has a GB identifier with a euro symbol, Union flag, flag of England, Scotland or Wales, or if it only contains numbers and letters. However, if you’re driving to Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a UK sticker for all number plates.

Vehicle equipment

Like in the UK, in the Republic of Ireland it isn’t compulsory to carry certain items in your car, as it is in much of Europe. But it’s still worth having them with you – especially in the case of a breakdown:

Take a look at our selection of European Driving Kits which can provide everything you need.

Vehicle maintenance

Giving your vehicle a bit of TLC before you travel can help a lot of headaches once you’re on the road. Run through some maintenance checks to make sure you don’t have any minor issues that end up causing major problems.

You could also book your vehicle into a garage for a service before you travel. Even if you’re not due one, having a professional look over the car to deal with any potential problems can really help to ensure it’s ready for a road trip. Find an RAC Approved Garage here.

What are the driving rules in the Republic of Ireland?

	In terms of road rules, the Republic of Ireland is broadly in line with the UK. Just like the UK, you drive on the left-hand side of the road, and give way to cars approaching from the right – which makes it easier for UK motorists to adapt.
	Speed limits - in most of Europe, speed limits are in kilometres, unlike the UK, where miles are used. Remember this when you see speed limit signs. In Ireland, town and city centres have a 50 km/h limit, regional roads 80 km/h, and motorways 120 km/h – approximately 30 mph, 60 mph, and 75 mph.
	Road Safety - seat belts must be worn by everyone in the car, and something else to bear in mind is the difference at traffic lights. In Ireland, the lights go from red to green; amber is used before a red to advise stopping unless it’s unsafe to do.
	Motorways - many motorways in Ireland have tolls on them, so it’s worth looking these up before you travel to check your route and pre-empt any potential delays and likely charges.

Read more about road rules in Ireland and driving in the country here.

Make sure you are insured before travelling to Ireland

Driving is just one consideration when you’re visiting another country. We recommend getting travel insurance to cover things like travel cancellations, medical expenses and lost or stolen personal belongings. It could save you some nasty surprises if anything goes wrong with your trip. Get an RAC Travel Insurance quote here.

Page reviewed by: Andy Baker