Irish phone numbers vary in length depending on whether they are landlines, mobiles, or special service numbers. Landlines follow formats like 01 XXX XXXX (Dublin), while mobiles use 08[3-9] XXX XXXX. Always include the full number, including the area code, for accurate identification.

Use a regular expression like ^08[3-9]\d{7}$ to validate Irish mobile numbers. This regex ensures the number starts with 08 followed by a digit from 3-9 and then seven more digits, capturing the 10-digit format. Remember that prefixes don't reliably indicate the operator due to number portability.

Format Irish numbers consistently for better readability. Mobile numbers can be grouped as 08X XXX XXXX, while landlines can vary based on the area code (e.g., 01 XXX XXXX for Dublin). Use a formatting function that handles variations in area code length.

Storing numbers in the E.164 international format (+353xxxxxxxxxx) ensures consistency and simplifies international dialing. This format is essential for programmatic handling of phone numbers and interoperability with international systems.

To dial Ireland from another country, use the international prefix 00 followed by Ireland's country code 353 and then the full Irish number. For example, 00 353 87 987 6543. Remember to drop the leading zero from the Irish number when dialing internationally.

The country code for Ireland is +353. Use this code when dialing Ireland from another country, followed by the full national number without the leading zero.

The area code for an Irish number is the first two or three digits after the leading zero. Dublin uses 01, Cork uses 021, Galway 091, and other regions use variations of 0XX. Always store the full area code as part of the number.

Dial 112 or 999 to reach emergency services in Ireland. These numbers connect to the police, fire, ambulance, and coast guard. They can be dialed from any phone, even without a SIM card.

ComReg, the Commission for Communications Regulation, is the regulatory authority for telecommunications in Ireland. They define the numbering plan, manage licensing, and ensure fair competition among operators.

Use a real-time number lookup service when you need accurate carrier information for routing or billing purposes. Because of number portability in Ireland, the prefix is no longer a reliable way to identify the current operator.

While prefixes used to indicate mobile carriers in Ireland (like 087 initially assigned to Vodafone), number portability now makes this unreliable. Real-time lookup services are necessary for accurate carrier identification.

Named capture groups enhance regex for phone validation by allowing you to extract specific parts of the number, like the area code or subscriber number. This is helpful for data processing and analysis. The example in the article shows this using `(?0[1-9])(?[0-9]{5,7})`

Number portability means a phone number can switch carriers, making prefix-based identification unreliable. You should validate the number's format using regex, but for accurate carrier details, rely on real-time number lookup services.