Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The process, which was a competitive dialogue, was entirely open. Capita was selected on the basis that it was the preferred bidder. Many forecast that An Post would be selected. It was not in the event. Capita has a track record in this general area. It employs approximately 1,000 people in Ireland. At a public presentation last week or the previous week - I cannot recall which - it set out its stall in front of stakeholders and the media and took questions about the unique identifier system that would be implemented for Ireland.

We are coming late to the party, so to speak. We are the only country in the OECD that does not have a postcode system. The new system brings the advantage of being able to avail of the latest technologies. As a result, we will have a world leading unique identifier system, established in a country where some 35% of addresses are not unique. The business community has been mounting growing pressure on the Department and me during the past year as regards what it views as the possibilities presenting in the era of digital technology and digital enterprise. The community believes that this will grow business and jobs. An Post believes that it will add to its own bottom line.

See this speech in context