Few developed countries have taken longer than Ireland to introduce a national postcode system. The roll-out of Eircode in the coming weeks will, however, rectify that. The new system will provide 2.2 million homes and businesses with a unique postal address, which should ensure a more efficient postal service. The system, which is voluntary, comes at a price – €27 million over the next 8 years – and already has its vocal critics, both on cost and other grounds.
Some – including the Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association – have raised concerns about the new system, while others – the Freight Transport Association and DHL – have said they will not use it. Conradh na Gaeilge claims that up to 50,000 Irish place names are either inaccurate or missing. And in addition it also seems the Eircode system will not work with satnavs or Google Maps – at least not yet.
Minister for Communications Alex White remains quite unfazed by the adverse critical reaction of some key groups. The transport and logistical companies that question the merits of the new system will, Mr White says with confidence, later use it – having seen their competitors do so, and noted the efficiency gains that it offers.
Build it and they will come, or so the Minister believes, citing the experience of freight companies and others in the recent past as a precedent. These companies initially refused to use bypasses and tunnels in their transport activities, but later reversed their position. The Minister is adamant that no changes are needed to Eircode.
His reassurances, clearly, have not convinced the Opposition parties: Fianna Fáil has dismissed Eircode as unworkable and expensive, and Sinn Féin regards it as an expensive gamble. The UK introduced its postcode system in 1959, and the US followed in 1963.
So why, decades after so many countries have adopted postcode systems successfully – with further improvements and updates made in the meantime – should Ireland’s 2015 postcode model now encounter so much criticism from those dissatisfied with its operation?