Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
243. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if consideration will be given to reviewing the current Eircode acquirement process, by which a new build premises cannot obtain a connection to fibre broadband until it has an Eircode for the premises and the procurement of same can often take a number of months given the system is updated quarterly per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14922/21]
View answerCapita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, was awarded a 10 year contract in December 2013 to develop, implement, maintain and promote the National Postcode System "Eircode".
Eircodes are assigned to new property addresses using a valid postal address and verified geo-locations. An Post collects information on new and existing buildings, as well as changes to existing addresses and Ordnance Survey Ireland provides the geo-locations for these buildings. An Post GeoDirectory, a subsidiary company of An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland, issue a new release of the GeoDirectory database file on a quarterly basis to Eircode in accordance with their licence agreement.
Each new postal address assigned an Eircode is published on the free to use Eircode Finder website, a notification letter is issued to the property occupant containing the Eircode of that address and an updated Eircode Database is provided to licenced businesses for their use. Eircode have informed my Department that over 139,000 property addresses have been assigned an Eircode since the launch in 2015.
Once the Eircode database is updated on a quarterly basis it is then a matter for individual Eircode database providers to release updates to commercial businesses in accordance with the terms of their licence agreements.
Early assignment of Eircodes is contingent on An Post facilitating the increased frequency of new and changed addresses from quarterly to monthly to Eircode through their subsidiary An Post GeoDirectory. My officials are working with An Post, Ordnance Survey Ireland, An Post GeoDirectory and Eircode to expedite the process of assigning Eircodes for new properties with postal addresses and geo-locations.
