Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

Táim an-bhuíoch as an deis a thug an Ceann Comhairle domsa labhairt anocht faoi thábhacht úsáid logainmeacha sa phost. I am very grateful to the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to raise this important issue on the Adjournment. I thank my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, in anticipation of his reply.

I raise the issue on behalf of a number of people, many of whom are members of the Ormond Historical Society in Nenagh who have articulated to me their concerns regarding the forthcoming introduction of postal codes nationwide. I am not sure exactly when this is to come about but the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has spoken at length about it and I understand it will be introduced in the next couple of years.

Change comes about and we know that people fear it. This is supposedly for the better, but it is important that we take into account the rich heritage stitched into the placenames of townlands and areas, many of which find their origins in the Irish language and are loaded with historical interpretations dating back many years. While anglicised, many of them hold great treasures of heritage.

The concern is that some placenames that are derived from topography and local history might be lost in the Government's attempt to introduce postal codes so as to keep up to speed with technology. However, a great heritage could be lost in serving that technology. I refer to the many townlands and cities where Irish derivations date back many years. For example, Letterkenny is derived from leitir, meaning hillside, lios means ring fort, dún means a strong fort and droichid means a bridge. My native place, the town of Nenagh, is Aonach Urmhumhan in Irish, which means the fair of Ormond. The fear is that people corresponding with such places may find themselves writing "Tipperary 24" and ignoring the townlands. In a quick swoop, names will be lost in serving the technology of the post offices' sorting boxes.

I take this opportunity to ask for the Minister of State's assurance that our heritage, which is a part of our townlands and areas, will be preserved for future generations and not lost through the introduction of postal codes. In Dublin city, postal codes have come to be associated with people's financial situations. For example, Dublin 4 carries a weighted, but positive, concept of the people who live therein. I hope that, in the endeavours undertaken by the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Government to introduce postal codes, our heritage will not be lost and our townlands' names or logainmneacha, as I call them, will be maintained and treasured forever.

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