Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
168. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when an eircode can be provided to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27197/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraCapita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode assigns Eircodes 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 licensed businesses for their use. 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.
An Post have informed my officials that the individual's address data has been recorded in their systems and this information should be issued from An Post GeoDirectory to Eircode in the next assignment of the database. My officials have requested Eircode to contact and liaise directly with the individual in question regarding the assignment of an Eircode for this new property address.
More broadly, the Deputy might be interested to know that in October 2017 a new emergency mobile phone precise location service was launched that greatly assists the emergency services in determining the exact location of people in need that call 999 or 112.The Advanced Mobile Location (AML) is available on both Android and Apple devices and works by automatically finding a phone's GPS co-ordinates and sending them by way of a text message to the Emergency Call Answering Service when a 112 or 999 number is dialled. The co-ordinates are immediately passed to the emergency services in responding and dispatching emergency personnel to callers in need across Ireland. The National Ambulance Service use AML which plots the mobile location automatically on the call takers OSI map. Approximately 55% of emergency calls from mobile devices have AML data and it is of vital assistance to Emergency Services around the country, but particularly in rural areas.
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.
