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

That is the first I have heard of it. I do not know for sure - I will communicate further with the Deputy on the matter - but I am pretty certain that it is not true. I am aware that there is one individual who believes he is in possession of a better solution for a postcode system for Ireland and who has been discussing the matter with some Deputies and Senators. The individual in question was free to submit an application but he did not do so. It is not at all unusual that a consortium would apply for a contract such as that under discussion. The notion that the successful bidder - a company which already employs in the region of 1,000 people in Ireland and which has expertise and a proven track record in this area - had any prior involvement is complete news to me and I do not believe it is true. When the competitive process was in train, many people might have stated that An Post was going to be awarded the contract. That did not prove to be the case. The company to which it was awarded has a proven track record and is a major employer in the Irish economy.

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