Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2017
1746. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated costs for adapting information technology systems to include Eircode for departmental mail; the number of Departments that have adapted their information technology systems to implement Eircode; and the cost to the exchequer in this regard. [27007/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCapita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, was awarded a 10 year contract in December 2013 to develop, implement, maintain and promote the use of the National Postcode System "Eircode". The contract provided for a programme of public sector database encoding with Eircodes for 15 public sector bodies that have frequent interaction with the public. Prior to the Eircode launch approximately 80million public sector database records were encoded with Eircodes, costing €11.5m (VAT inclusive).
Public sector bodies have used their regular on-going ICT software upgrades to incorporate Eircodes as part of other changes to their systems. The cost of adapting systems to use Eircodes is a matter for individual organisations, though Departments have indicated that this has resulted in no significant cost to those bodies.
Eircodes are being used by the large public sector bodies, including: Department of Social Protection, Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, Revenue Commissioners and the Health Service Executive. Many other state bodies and agencies that have interaction with the public have also incorporated the Eircode into their systems. These include the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Local Government Management Agency; Central Statistics Office; Department of Education & Skills; Residential Tenancies Board; Companies Registration Office; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; Ordnance Survey Ireland; An Post; National Treasury Management Agency; Electric Ireland and ESB Networks.
