Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be repeating some information as the question is similar to others. The cost to the Exchequer of the national postcode system over the ten-year cycle of the contract is expected to be €27 million, excluding VAT, with costs covering design, database upgrades, media and postcode distribution. A contract was signed with Capita Business Support Services Ireland limited in December 2013 to develop and roll out the national postcode system over a ten-year period. Total spend to date on that contract is €3.22 million. Aside from the contract with Capita, consultancy costs of €1.12797 million, including VAT, have been incurred from 2010 to date on the national postcode system.

The design for the national postcode system was approved by Government and the brand Eircode was launched for the national postcode system in April 2014. Capita launched the website earlier this year.Over recent months, Capita has engaged with a number of private and public stakeholders to brief them on the project and prepare them for the launch of Eircode postcodes next year. Overall, the response to the project has been very positive. To support dissemination of Eircode postcodes, the databases of large public sector bodies are being Eircode enabled. This work is expected to be concluded this month, which means that public sector bodies with large customer-facing databases will be in a position to use the codes immediately on launch.

An extensive public information campaign will commence early next year to inform the public about Eircodes and promote their usage. This will include outreach activities to ensure the public, and especially the vulnerable and hard to reach, obtain information on Eircodes in a timely manner. Eircodes are expected to be launched by the middle of next year when every household and business in the country will receive a letter containing their Eircode. Although not aimed primarily at growing the post office network, it is expected that Eircodes will assist the mail service by providing a stimulus to mail volumes through direct marketing capabilities. In addition, An Post has been selected to disseminate Eircodes next year and will benefit accordingly.

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