First Aid and CPR Courses in Ireland

Which course you need, how to check it is recognised, and who teaches it, county by county.

In Ireland, PHECC (the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council) sets the standards for first aid and CPR courses. PHECC says only the institutions it recognises or approves may deliver its courses.

Source: PHECC, education and training standards

Which course do I need?Check before you book National organisations Providers by county

Which course do I need?

For a workplace

First Aid Response (FAR)

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) says the PHECC First Aid Response (FAR) standard is the recognised standard for occupational first aid in workplaces.

The course is 3 days (18 hours) in a classroom, or 2 days in a classroom with blended learning. The certificate lasts 2 years. A 2-day refresher course renews it.

How many first aiders you need depends on your risk assessment. The HSA gives a guide: for example, at least 1 for 50 to 149 people in a factory or on a construction site, and 1 for 100 to 399 people in other workplaces.

If a course is sold as “occupational first aid”, ask whether it leads to the PHECC FAR certificate.

Sources: HSA, First Aid, HSA, First Aid FAQs

For your family, club or community

Cardiac First Response (CFR) Community

PHECC says that to master CPR you need to do a Cardiac First Response course recognised by PHECC or the Irish Heart Foundation.

It teaches CPR, how to use a defibrillator (AED), and what to do when an adult or a child is choking. The Irish Red Cross and the Order of Malta run it as a half-day course, and the Irish Red Cross says its certificate lasts 2 years.

Sources: PHECC, CitizenCPR, Order of Malta Ireland, courses, Irish Red Cross, first aid courses

For babies and children

Paediatric first aid

PHECC's First Aid Essentials (FAE) courses include Paediatric First Aid. Providers approved for it are marked “Paediatric First Aid (FAE)” below.

The national organisations also run their own courses for parents and families: Family/Paediatric First Aid (Irish Red Cross), First Aid for Babies & Children (Order of Malta) and Baby & Toddler First Aid (St John Ambulance).

Sources: PHECC, education and training standards, Irish Red Cross, Order of Malta Ireland, St John Ambulance Ireland

To help as a volunteer

Civil Defence

Civil Defence volunteers are taught first aid, and Civil Defence says its training is certified by bodies such as PHECC.

You can apply from the age of 18. There is a Civil Defence unit in every county.

Source: Civil Defence, Join

PHECC also sets higher levels: Cardiac First Response Advanced, Emergency First Response (EFR), and the Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic and Advanced Paramedic standards. PHECC's list of standards

Check before you book

Check the provider. PHECC's own search shows every recognised institution and the courses it may deliver.
Check the certificate. Since 1 March 2025, PHECC responder certificates are digital. The HSA says a paper certificate dated from that day is not valid, and each digital certificate can be checked online.
Using a single instructor? An employer can use an individual FAR instructor. PHECC keeps no list of instructors, so ask which recognised institution they work with.
Trained abroad? The HSA says occupational first aid certificates from other countries are not valid in Ireland.

Search PHECC's list

Sources: HSA, First Aid, HSA, First Aid FAQs

National organisations

All four are on PHECC's list. Courses and places are as each one's own website gives them. Listed after checking their websites and PHECC's register on 6 October 2026.

Irish Heart Foundation

Its CPR courses for the public are taught by affiliated training sites around the country. Its website lists courses by county.

Courses on its website

Heartsaver AED & CFR Community
Heartsaver AED (also online)
Hands for Life

Affiliated training sites around the country

Courses and booking 01 668 5001 PHECC entry

Irish Red Cross

First aid courses for the workplace and everyday situations. It can also run courses for a business, community or sports group at a place that suits them.

Courses on its website

First Aid Response (FAR), and FAR recertification
Cardiac First Response Community
Family/Paediatric First Aid
Emergency First Aid
Practical First Aid

Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Athlone, Carlow, Drogheda, Naas and Claremorris

Courses and booking 01 642 4679 PHECC entry

Order of Malta Ireland

PHECC first aid and CPR courses, a baby and child course, and First Aid Response by blended learning.

Courses on its website

First Aid Response (FAR), also by blended learning, and FAR recertification
Cardiac First Response
Emergency First Aid
Basic First Aid
First Aid for Babies & Children

Open classes in Dublin; it can also train at your workplace

Courses and booking 01 614 0035 PHECC entry

St John Ambulance Ireland

First aid and CPR courses at its premises in Dublin 4. For other locations, it asks you to email.

Courses on its website

First Aid Response (FAR), and FAR recertification
Cardiac First Response – Community
Emergency First Aid
Baby & Toddler First Aid

Dublin 4; other locations by arrangement

Courses and booking 01 668 8077 PHECC entry

PHECC-recognised providers by county

These 54 training providers are on PHECC's list of Recognised Institutions and Approved Training Institutions. The courses shown are the PHECC courses the list gives for each one. Ask them which they are running.

They are grouped by the county of the address PHECC gives, so ask each one where its courses run. We show a phone number only where the provider's own website gives the same number.

Listed after checking PHECC's register and each provider's website on 6 October 2026. Alphabetical within each county. Placement is not for sale.

Know a business we should list, or run one that is listed here? Listing is free.

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Co Cavan

Compliplus Limited

Virginia, Co Cavan

First Aid Response (FAR)
Cardiac First Response Community

Website 046 924 5658 PHECC entry

Corlurgan Training Centre

Cavan town, Co Cavan

First Aid Response (FAR)
Cardiac First Response Community

Website 086 063 1456 PHECC entry

Co Cork

Anderlift Safety Services

Cork city, Co Cork

First Aid Response (FAR)
Basic First Aid (FAE)
Paediatric First Aid (FAE)

Website 021 455 9180 PHECC entry

Ayrton Group

Newmarket, Co Cork

First Aid Response (FAR)
Cardiac First Response Community

First Aid and CPR Courses in Ireland

Which course do I need?

First Aid Response (FAR)

Cardiac First Response (CFR) Community

Paediatric first aid

Civil Defence

Check before you book

National organisations

Irish Heart Foundation

Irish Red Cross

Order of Malta Ireland

St John Ambulance Ireland

PHECC-recognised providers by county

Co Cavan

Compliplus Limited

Corlurgan Training Centre

Co Cork

Anderlift Safety Services

Ayrton Group

E.R Training

EHS International

First Aid Coaching

Pulse Education and Training Ltd

Rescue Emergency Care

Co Donegal

Safetech Consulting and Training

Co Dublin

Canavan and Byrne Management Training Solutions Ltd

DX2 Training Solutions Ltd

Efast Ireland Ltd

Emergency Services Training Institute (ESTI)

Heartsafety Solutions

Hibernian Healthcare Limited

Holland Safety

Kennedy Group

Medicall Emergency Medical Training

Medicore Medical Services Ltd

NCU Training

Occupli

Safety Solutions Group Ltd.

The CPL Institute

Venturesafe

Co Galway

Connacht Health and Safety Training Institute

Lifeline Ambulance Service Education

Paul Bowler Training

Western Management Centre

Co Kerry

Kerry First Aid Ltd t/a Cork First Aid

Co Kildare

Coffey Training Assessment and Certification Ltd

First Aid for Life

Qualtec

Shorcontrol Safety Ltd

TrainedIn

Co Laois

Maltings Training Ltd

Co Leitrim

LifeLine Training

Co Limerick

Amber Safety Limited

Optima Training & Consulting Ltd

Platinum Safety Limited

STAC First Aid

Co Longford

Phoenix STS

Co Louth

EMS & Associates

HealthCo

Co Mayo

Gorman Health & Safety

Murray Ambulance Service Ltd

Co Meath

Advanced National Training Services

Co Monaghan

ProTraining Courses

Co Offaly

Universal First Aid Services

Co Tipperary

Emergency Medical Training Solutions (EMTS)