A new report from the National Poisons Information Centre has found that most cases of accidental poisoning in children involve household products, medicines and cosmetics.
The centre received 12,655 calls last year from hospital doctors and other health staff seeking assistance with suspected poisonings, with 4,377 of these calls relating to children under the age of ten.
It has warned parents about the danger of pouring household chemicals from their original containers into soft drinks bottles, which do not have child resistant containers.
There were 14 deaths recorded from accidental poisoning last year. The primary agents involved in all poisonings were painkillers, alcohol and sedatives.
Paracetamol is the top agent implicated in poisonings.
Responding to the new figures, the Irish Pharmaceutical Union has called for greater restrictions on the availability of paracetamol and has advised parents not to hoard medicines in the home.
