Emergency Aeromedical Service (Irish Air Corps)

The Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS) is a helicopter air ambulance for Ireland. It is run by the Air Corps, which is part of the Defence Forces. The service works with the National Ambulance Service of the HSE. The Department of Defence says the service has been in operation since 2012.

The service is based at Custume Barracks in Athlone. It responds to serious incidents across Ireland. Missions often involve injuries from falls and road collisions, as well as medical emergencies. The service gives fast transport to patients of all ages, often to major trauma centres or specialist units in Dublin, such as Beaumont, Tallaght and CHI Crumlin.

The department says the EAS has completed more than 4,300 missions since it started. In 2024 it flew missions in 25 counties. About a third of those missions were in Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and Westmeath. The service had completed 161 missions by the time of its 2025 notes.

In April 2025 the Tánaiste officially opened a new helicopter hangar in Athlone. The hangar cost €1.4 million. Air Corps technicians use it for inspections and safety work on the aircraft, so that the helicopters can be deployed on essential missions.

The department says the service gives people in the midlands fast access to medical care. That care is often needed in remote or hard to reach places. The government describes the service as a national service that covers the whole country from its base in the midlands.

The Tánaiste said the new hangar supports the highest aviation safety and reliability standards. The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces said Air Corps crews work with the National Ambulance Service to deliver critical, time sensitive care. The department describes the service as an ongoing partnership between the Defence Forces and the HSE. The Department of Defence says the service covers the whole country.

Services

• Helicopter Air Ambulance
• Emergency Aeromedical Missions
• Trauma Transport
• Rapid Medical Response
• Patient Transport to Specialist Units
• Helicopter Hangar Maintenance Facility