Mr. Liam Duggan:

The X and Y co-ordinates are stored in the database, not the code. They are 16 characters long and do not lend themselves to being memorised as one cannot expect people to remember a 16 digit string. A phenomenon known as chunking, which is used primarily in the telecoms industry, is where people remember groups of numbers in twos, threes and fours. What we are doing is using a seven character code consisting of two chunks of three digits and four digits, respectively. This has been done for memorability reasons.

As to the reason the X and Y co-ordinates are in the database as opposed to the code, if they were in the code one would leave oneself open to obsolescence and a lack of future-proofing. By storing the co-ordinates in the database, one has them in the background. We have a licence to operate for ten years. Ten years ago, there were no tablets and smartphones were in their infancy. We cannot predict at this stage what technology will be available in ten years. By storing the information in the database, we can easily change what is in the background. If X and Y changes and, for instance, three dimensional co-ordinates or some other form of co-ordinates are implemented, we can embed them in the database without having to change the code upfront, whereas if they were in the code and some new methodology was introduced, we would have to re-issue the codes. The co-ordinates are stored in the database for future-proofing and memorability reasons because one simply would not remember them.

In terms of the pilot, the presentation features a high level programme overview. There is a large amount of detail behind this and quality assurance testing is done at every single step. In terms of the dissemination, we will run a pilot when we write to people because we want to ensure, especially where we are using non-unique addresses, that we achieve absolute accuracy and get the right letter through the right door informing the householder of the Eircode for his or her address.

In terms of running a pilot for the overall project, while it would not be impractical to do so, if we were to start to issue codes to people, they would start using them on mail. As the mail sorting system is not yet ready to recognise and use the codes, they would cause confusion and potentially damage An Post's ability to hit their service level agreement targets. We are doing pilots and quality assurance testing at every step. The key one will be when we write to people and we will do a pilot on that.