Car & Van Hire - Athlone

Additional drivers must meet all renter requirements. Additional drivers can be added to the rental agreement if they visit any rental location and present their driving licence. A daily surcharge of 11.90 EUR will apply at airport locations and 9.99 EUR at all other locations.

Renters must have been eligible to hold a driving licence for a minimum of 8 years for all vehicles. To rent People Carriers and Vans, renters must have been eligible to hold a driving licence for a minimum of 11 years and for Premium vehicles 13 years. No additional surcharges apply.

Vehicles can be driven in Northern Ireland and UK mainland. Travels to Europe mainland are not permitted.

An additional charge of 170.25 EUR will be charged for travels to the UK mainland. At all airport locations the charge is 202.60 EUR. Travels to Northern Ireland are free of charge.

Customers must always inform the rental branch of their intention to travel to the UK mainland with the vehicle and require authorisation.

Damage Waiver (DW) reduces the liability of the hirer in the event of damage or theft of the vehicle. If DW is not included in the reservation, the hirer has full liability for the vehicle. DW is available for purchase and reduces the applicable excess. If included in the reservation, the excess amount for each incident of damage is 2000 EUR for manual Mini and Economy cars. For all other vehicles, an excess of 2700 EUR applies. Before purchasing DW, it is advisable to determine if the hirer's personal coverage is adequate to cover damage, theft, loss of revenue, administration fees, diminishment of value and any towing, storage or impound fees. If DW is declined, the hirer will be required to pay these charges and seek compensation through their carrier of personal coverage. DW is not insurance.

Renters wishing to discuss or dispute any matters concerning damage to the rental vehicle may contact our damage recovery department. Please email damageclaim@em.com or call 00 353 1 800 812 781.

All rentals where the vehicle is not returned to the same location as it is collected from will be subject to a one way fee. The one way fee varies based on car category, location and pick up date. The exact amount of the one way fee will be displayed during the reservation process when entering the dates, desired route and car category.

Excess Protection is an optional coverage that reduces the applicable Damage Waiver Excess (see Damage Waiver terms) to: EUR 100 for economy and mini vehicles, EUR 500 for premium vehicles, and EUR 250 for all other vehicles.  You may wish to check if your personal coverage is adequate to cover damage, theft, loss of revenue, administration fees, diminishment of value, and any towing, storage or impound fees. If you decline Excess Protection then you are required to pay any applicable Damage Waiver excess and seek compensation from your carrier. Excess Protection is not insurance.

If the renter does not choose to purchase an optional fuel product at the start of the rental period and does not return the vehicle with the same level of fuel as at the start of the rental period (as indicated on the Rental Agreement) the renter will be required to pay a refuelling service fee calculated as the difference between the fuel level recorded on the Rental Agreement and that recorded upon the return of the vehicle multiplied by the fuel price displayed at the branch, plus a refuelling charge of 15 EUR. Unused or excess fuel will not be refunded.

Where the vehicle is an electric vehicle and is returned with less charge than was provided at the start of the Rental Period (such level as indicated on the Rental Agreement Summary), a re-charging fee calculated as the kWhs needed to charge the vehicle to make up the difference between the charge level recorded on the Rental Agreement Summary and that recorded upon the return of the Vehicle multiplied by the kWh price displayed on the Rental Agreement Summary plus, an additional charge as indicated on the Rental Agreement Summary. No unused or excess charge will be refunded.

Mileage- all vehicles include unlimited mileage

The VAT charge on vans and rentals lasting more than 35 days will be 21%.

All major credit cards (issued by either Visa, Mastercard or American Express) are accepted. All cards presented must be in the renter’s name. A security deposit plus the estimated cost of the rental will be taken at the time of rental. All vehicles require a deposit of €250. Cash, cheques, prepaid cards, Diners Club and Discover Card are not accepted. Renters who wish to use a debit card (issued by either Visa or Mastercard) must have residence in Ireland, hold an Irish driving licence and provide proof of employment with a pay slip and a proof of address that must be less than 90 days old.

Roadside Assistance Protection (RAP) is an optional 24-hour emergency service including tyre and glass repair or replacement costs except when part of a larger repair, replacement keys costs and all recovery and call out charges as result of a fault caused by the renter.
RAP does not apply if there is a breach of the rental agreement or if a wrong fuel type is used. The renter pays a flat-rate fee that covers all roadside assistance services. Before purchasing RAP, it is advised to determine if a personal coverage is adequate to cover these charges. If RAP is declined, the renter will be required to pay any applicable charges and seek compensation from the carrier of personal coverage. RAP is not insurance.

All drivers must present a fully valid and unexpired driving licence (digital licences are not accepted). If the driving licence is written in a language and characters different from those of the country of rental, an International Driving Permit is also required. Renters are advised to check whether local authorities require foreign drivers to present an International Driving Permit to avoid the risk of potential fines. Renters with licences from countries that are not part of the International Driving Permit Agreement should carry a certified translation.

All renters must provide a valid photo ID such as a driving licence, passport or ID card. Visitors to Ireland must also provide proof of return travel and accommodation information while in Ireland.

Please note that we reserve the right to request additional ID or conduct further identification checks if needed, which may include an identity check with an external organisation.

If Third-Party Liability is included in your reservation, the renter and additional authorised drivers will be provided with coverage that meets or exceeds the minimum required third-party liability insurance against death, personal injury and damage to property. Third-Party Liability is subject to compliance with all terms, conditions, limitations, exceptions and exclusions, under the rental entities' insurance policy.