National Poison Information Centre reports increase in enquiries in 2025
Olivia Kelleher
The National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) has warned that ordinary household products such as liquid detergent capsules, dishwasher tablets and toys can be poisonous.
The NPIC, which is located in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, received 11,455 enquiries last year, up four per cent on 2024.
Most of the poisonings occurred in the home, whilst 60 per cent of the calls related to children under the age of fifteen. Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are the most common drugs mentioned by callers.
Dr Edel Duggan, clinical director of the NPIC, told RTE News that parents should also be mindful about where they store household cleaning products such as oven and drain cleaners.
“They are particularly corrosive. So we would say keep them out of sight and out of reach of children. If a child ingests it, it can cause a lot of serious damage to the tube going down into the stomach and can erode it away.
Keep those (products) locked away. They are particularly toxic.”
Accidental poisoning is most likely to happen to children aged between one and four years old.
Meanwhile, foragers are urged to realise that confusing an edible with a toxic mushroom can have very serious consequences.
The centre receives about 50 calls a year regarding mushrooms. Members of the public are asked not to forage unless they have expert training in mushroom identification.
The NPIC says there are approximately 30 mushroom species in Ireland that are considered to be poisonous. If eaten, these can cause a range of symptoms from stomach upset to more serious, life-threatening symptoms.
Among the most dangerous mushrooms found in Ireland are the death cap, the destroying angel, the panther cap and the funeral bell.
The NPIC has said that foragers should not rely on the internet, mushroom guide books or plant or mushroom identification apps to identify a mushroom as these are not “100 per cent accurate.”
The NPIC is celebrating its 60th anniversary. It was established in 1966 at the instigation of the Department of Health and the Irish Medical Association.
The Public Poisons Information Line was set up in 2011. Around 55 per cent of calls received by the centre are from the public, with the remaining 45 per cent originating from health care staff.
The centre provides expert advice on poisoning emergencies from 8am to 10pm seven days a week. The Public Poisons Information Line can be contacted on 01 809 2166.
Outside of those times, members of the public should contact their GP service or a hospital emergency department.
