If it's been less than 72 hours, don't read the rest of this page
Do one of these now, whichever you can do fastest:
- Ring a sexual health clinic if one near you is open. The list is below. St James's GUIDE Clinic in Dublin takes PEP assessments with no appointment.
- Go to any emergency department. They're open 24 hours and every one on the HSE's list can start you on PEP.
- If it's been under 48 hours, you can do a free online PEP assessment first. If it says you need PEP, it gives you a referral letter to bring to the emergency department — and that letter means you don't pay the ED fee.
The HSE's own wording: "You need to start taking the medicine as soon as possible and within 72 hours of likely exposure to HIV."
What PEP actually is
PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis. It's a course of HIV medicine you take after a possible exposure, to stop the virus establishing itself.
The course lasts 28 days and you take it every day. The HSE says the medicine is free. You may still have to pay a fee for attending an emergency department — more on that below.
You can't just pick it up. A doctor or nurse assesses you first, because PEP isn't right for every exposure. That assessment is the appointment.
The clock
| Time since the exposure | What's open to you |
|---|---|
| Under 48 hours | Everything, including the online assessment and its fee-waiving referral letter. |
| 48 to 72 hours | Clinic or emergency department. The online assessment is closed to you — the HSE says plainly: "Do not do the online assessment if your potential exposure was more than 48 hours ago." |
| Over 72 hours | PEP is no longer the route. Still worth contacting a sexual health clinic — testing, and a conversation about PrEP for the future. |
Every hour counts inside those windows. The HSE's phrasing is "as soon as possible", not "within 72 hours" — the deadline is the outer edge, not the target.
The three ways in
A sexual health clinic
The best option if one near you is open. They can assess you and give you the full course, not just the first few days.
Ten clinics on the HSE list run a full PEP service. They're marked in the table below.
Any emergency department
Open 24 hours, every day. They give you a starter pack — the first few days of medicine — and a clinic picks up the rest of the course.
This is the out-of-hours answer. Evenings, weekends, bank holidays.
The online assessment
Free, and open to anyone 17 or over, but only if the exposure was in the last 48 hours. If you qualify it produces a referral letter for the ED.
About the emergency department fee
The medicine is free. Attending an ED normally carries a €100 charge. The HSE says you don't pay it if you have a medical card, or if you bring the referral letter from the online assessment.
Do not let a fee stop you going. If you're inside 72 hours and you can't get to a clinic, go to the ED and sort the money out afterwards.
What happens when you get there
- A doctor or nurse asks you what happened and when. Times matter, so try to be specific.
- They decide with you whether PEP is the right call. Not every exposure needs it.
- If it is, you start the medicine there — a starter pack in an ED, or the full course in a clinic — and you're told where to continue.
- You'll be asked to come back for testing later. PEP doesn't replace testing.
Side effects
The HSE lists nausea and vomiting as the common ones, and says they usually go away after a few days. If they're bad enough that you're thinking of stopping, ring the service that started you rather than just stopping — a 28-day course only works if you finish it.
PEP and PrEP are not the same thing
| PEP | PrEP | |
|---|---|---|
| When you take it | After an exposure | Before, on an ongoing basis |
| How long | 28 days, once | For as long as you need it |
| How urgent | Within 72 hours. It's an emergency. | Planned, through a clinic |
| Where to read more | This page | Free PrEP in Ireland |
If you've needed PEP once, it's worth asking about PrEP. That conversation belongs with the clinic, not with us.
Where to go, by county
This is the HSE's published list of PEP services in the Republic of Ireland, checked 10 September 2026. Emergency departments are open 24 hours. Clinic hours are only shown where the HSE publishes them — where a clinic is listed by appointment, ring first.
The HSE lists no PEP service in Carlow, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Roscommon or Wicklow. If you're in one of those counties, the nearest emergency department in the table can start you.
Cavan · Clare · Cork · Donegal · Dublin · Galway · Kerry · Kildare · Kilkenny · Laois · Limerick · Louth · Mayo · Meath · Offaly · Sligo · Tipperary · Waterford · Westmeath · Wexford
Cavan
Cavan General Hospital ED
Lisdaran, Cavan, H12 A5D7
Phone: 049 437 6000
When: Open 24 hours
Clare
University Hospital Ennis Sexual Health Clinic
Ennis, Co. Clare, V95 HN29
Phone: 061 482 382
When: Monday 9am–12pm, by appointment
Cork
South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Sexual Health Clinic
Old Blackrock Road, Cork, T12 X23H
Phone: 021 496 6844
When: Monday to Friday 9am–4pm, by appointment
Cork University Hospital ED
Wilton, Cork, T12 DC4A
Phone: 021 492 0200
When: Open 24 hours
Mercy University Hospital ED
Grenville Place, Cork, T12 WE28
Phone: 021 493 5241
When: Open 24 hours
Cork University Hospital Infectious Diseases Clinic
Wilton, Cork, T12 DFK4
Phone: 021 492 2795
When: By appointment
Donegal
Errigal CDM Hub Sexual Health Clinic
Kilmacrennan Road, Letterkenny, F92 NP23
Phone: 074 912 3715
When: Thursday 5:30pm–9pm, by appointment
Letterkenny University Hospital ED
Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, F92 AE81
Phone: 074 912 3595
When: Open 24 hours
Dublin
St James's Hospital GUIDE Clinic
James's Street, Dublin 8, D08 NHY1
Phone: 01 416 2315
When: Monday to Thursday 9am–11am and 2pm–3:30pm; Friday 9am–11am. No appointment needed for a PEP assessment
Gay Men's Health Service
Meath Primary Care Centre, Heytesbury Street, Dublin 8, D08 HX97
Phone: 01 921 2730
When: Tuesday 9am–1pm, 2pm–5pm and 6pm–9pm; Wednesday 9am–1pm and 2pm–5pm; Thursday 9am–1pm. Walk-ins accepted
St Vincent's University Hospital Infectious Diseases Clinic
Elm Park, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 T6F4
Phone: 01 221 3363
When: Monday to Thursday 9am–5pm, Friday 9am–1pm, by appointment
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital ED
Eccles Street, Dublin 7, D07 R2WY
Phone: 01 803 2000
When: Open 24 hours
Beaumont Hospital ED
Beaumont, Dublin 9, D09 C562
Phone: 01 809 3000
When: Open 24 hours
St James's Hospital ED
James's Street, Dublin 8, D08 NHY1
Phone: 01 410 3000
When: Open 24 hours
St Vincent's University Hospital ED
Elm Park, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 T6F4
Phone: 01 221 4358
When: Open 24 hours
Tallaght University Hospital ED
Tallaght, Dublin 24, D24 KNE0
Phone: 01 414 3601
When: Open 24 hours
Connolly Hospital ED
Mill Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, D15 X40D
Phone: 01 646 6250
When: Open 24 hours
CHI at Temple Street ED
Temple Street, Dublin 1, D01 XD99
Phone: 01 878 4274
When: Open 24 hours, children only
CHI at Crumlin ED
Crumlin, Dublin 12, D12 N512
Phone: 01 409 6326
When: Open 24 hours, children only
Beaumont Hospital Infectious Diseases Clinic
Beaumont, Dublin 9, D09 C562
Phone: 01 809 3006
When: By appointment
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Infectious Diseases Clinic
Eccles Street, Dublin 7, D07 R2WY
Phone: 01 803 2063
When: By appointment
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Sexual Health Clinic
Eccles Street, Dublin 7, D07 R2WY
Phone: 01 803 2563
When: By appointment
Galway
University Hospital Galway Sexual Health Clinic
Newcastle Road, Galway, H91 YR71
Phone: 091 525 200
When: Monday to Friday 9:30am–4pm, by appointment
University Hospital Galway ED
Newcastle Road, Galway, H91 YR71
Phone: 091 524 222
When: Open 24 hours
Portiuncula University Hospital ED
Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, H53 T971
Phone: 090 964 8200
When: Open 24 hours
Kerry
University Hospital Kerry ED
Tralee, Co. Kerry, V92 NX94
Phone: 066 718 4000
When: Open 24 hours
Kildare
Naas General Hospital ED
Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 AE76
Phone: 045 849 899
When: Open 24 hours
Kilkenny
St Luke's General Hospital ED
Freshford Road, Kilkenny, R95 FY71
Phone: 056 778 5000
When: Open 24 hours
Laois
Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise Sexual Health Clinic
Outpatient Department, Block Road, Portlaoise, R32 RW61
Phone: 086 859 1273
When: Tuesday 2pm–4:30pm and 5pm–6:15pm. Walk-in or by appointment
Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise ED
Block Road, Portlaoise, R32 RW61
Phone: 057 869 6028
When: Open 24 hours
Limerick
University Hospital Limerick Sexual Health Clinic
Dooradoyle, Limerick, V94 F858
Phone: 061 482 382
When: Tuesday 9am–12pm and 1:30pm–3:30pm; Thursday 9am–12pm. Walk-in or by appointment
University Hospital Limerick ED
Dooradoyle, Limerick, V94 F858
Phone: 061 301 111
When: Open 24 hours
Louth
Louth County Hospital Sexual Health Clinic
Dublin Road, Dundalk, A91 X0DP
Phone: 086 824 1847
When: Tuesday all day; second Friday of the month 1:30pm–4pm, by appointment
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Sexual Health Clinic
Drogheda, Co. Louth, A92 VW28
Phone: 086 824 1847
When: Every Friday except the second of the month, 9am–11am, by appointment
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital ED
Drogheda, Co. Louth, A92 VW28
Phone: 041 983 7601
When: Open 24 hours
Mayo
Mayo University Hospital ED
Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 H529
Phone: 094 904 2379
When: Open 24 hours
Meath
Our Lady's Hospital ED
Navan, Co. Meath, C15 RK7Y
Phone: 046 907 8500
When: Open 24 hours
Offaly
Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore ED
Tullamore, Co. Offaly, R35 NY51
Phone: 057 935 8024
When: Open 24 hours
Sligo
Sligo University Hospital Sexual Health Clinic
The Mall, Sligo, F91 H684
Phone: 071 917 0473
When: By appointment
Sligo University Hospital ED
The Mall, Sligo, F91 H684
Phone: 071 917 1111
When: Open 24 hours
Tipperary
Tipperary University Hospital ED
Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, E91 VY40
Phone: 052 617 7000
When: Open 24 hours
Waterford
University Hospital Waterford Infectious Diseases Clinic
Dunmore Road, Waterford, X91 ER8E
Phone: 051 842 054
When: Tuesday 2pm–4:30pm; Wednesday 9am–1pm, by appointment
University Hospital Waterford ED
Dunmore Road, Waterford, X91 ER8E
Phone: 051 842 000
When: Open 24 hours
Westmeath
Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar Sexual Health Clinic
Longford Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Phone: 087 710 4152
When: Wednesday 5pm–8pm, by appointment
Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar ED
Longford Road, Mullingar, N91 NA43
Phone: 044 934 0221
When: Open 24 hours
Wexford
Wexford General Hospital ED
Newtown Road, Wexford, Y35 Y17D
Phone: 053 915 3313
When: Open 24 hours
"Starter pack" and "full service" are the HSE's own terms. A starter pack is the beginning of the course; a clinic continues it.
In Northern Ireland?
PEP works the same way there — 72 hours, GUM clinics in hours, emergency departments any time — but it's a different health service, so the services and phone numbers on this page won't help you. The HSE's own PEP service list includes Northern Ireland clinics and EDs.
For testing rather than PEP, SH:24 in the UK covers Northern Ireland.
If you'd rather talk to someone
The HSE runs a freephone sexual health helpline: 1800 700 700. Monday to Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 9am–5pm. Closed Sundays and bank holidays.
Number and hours per the HSE's sexual health page, checked 10 September 2026.
Where to next
You order directly from SH:24, which runs this service with the HSE. Free if you're 17 or over and live in the Republic of Ireland. Living in Northern Ireland?
Sources and limits
- HSE — HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) (72-hour limit, 48-hour limit for the online assessment, 17+ age requirement, 28-day course, free medicine, €100 ED fee and the referral-letter waiver, side effects)
- HSE — Contact a Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) service (every service, address, phone number, opening time and starter-pack/full-service label in the table above)
- SH:24 — PEP (28-day course; PEP available in many STI clinics, and emergency departments if you cannot reach a clinic in time)
Checked 10 September 2026. This page has not been reviewed by a named clinician and doesn’t claim to have been. It explains how to reach a service and what the HSE publishes about it — it is not a clinical assessment, and nothing here replaces one. Services change: if a number or a time below is out of date, the HSE list is the one to trust.