How the companion driver service works
You can’t take a half-day off every time your father has a hospital appointment. We can. An Ask Nuala driver collects him at his own front door, brings him in, waits while he’s seen — however long that takes — and gets him home again. Then we let you know how he got on. Every driver is Garda vetted, working in your father’s own area, and they’re paid by the hour, so nobody is watching the meter in a waiting room in Beaumont.
How it works
Ring or email us with the date, the time and where the appointment is. That’s the whole job done from your end. We confirm back to you and whoever’s travelling.
The driver is Garda vetted, and where possible, the same person each time. They meet at the door, help to the car and go in to the appointment.
No going home and coming back. No standing outside the Mater in the rain. The driver stays for as long as it takes, because we charge by the hour and not by the meter.
Back to the door afterwards. The driver writes up the run on the same day — how it went, anything worth knowing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a companion driver service?
A driver who takes someone to an appointment, or the cinema, stays with them while they’re there, and brings them home again. They don’t just drop and go.
How is it different from booking a taxi?
A taxi takes you from one address to another and the meter is running. Our drivers are booked by the hour, so waiting is part of the job. They’ll also go in to an appointment and advocate if needed.
What does it cost?
€40 an hour on a monthly plan, €60 an hour for a once-off booking. The hours run from the door to the door, waiting included.
If the appointment finishes early, you pay for the time used. A fair-usage charge applies for journeys over 50km — €1.32 per additional km.
What types of journey do you cover?
Hospital outpatients, day procedures, the GP, the dentist, the chiropodist, the eye clinic. It doesn’t have to be medical either — we do the hairdresser, the credit union, a family occasion, a visit to a grave. If it’s somewhere someone wants to get to and getting there is the problem, it’s the same service.
What happens if the appointment runs late?
The driver waits. Outpatient clinics run over, that’s normal, and the booking isn’t built on the assumption that they won’t.
Is this medical transport?
No. It’s a driver and a car, not an ambulance, and drivers don’t give medical or personal care of any kind. If someone needs clinical support while travelling, that’s a different service and we’ll tell you so rather than take the booking.
Are there free services that do this?
There are, and they’re worth trying first. The Irish Cancer Society runs a free volunteer driver service for patients travelling to chemotherapy at participating hospitals — you need a hospital referral, and appointments have to be booked a few days ahead. TFI Local Link runs health appointment transport in some areas.
They’re good services. They’re also referral-based, limited to certain treatments and areas, and they need notice. We’re for the appointments they don’t cover.
What if I subscribe but she doesn't use the service?
If a committed hour is not used, we’ll do a doorstep check-in to verify that all is well and report back.