Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In January, the Minister confirmed that the estimated cost of the Eircode project would be €27 million, excluding VAT. This includes the design, database upgrades, communications and postcode distribution. Data protection concerns surrounding the introduction of a national postcode system were highlighted by the former Data Protection Commissioner early in its development. In particular, a unique postcode can be considered to be part of an individual's personal data in certain circumstances. As a result of the use of modern technology and "big data", a postcode could be assimilated into an electronic device or dataset where it could be used for any purpose. The Minister has indicated that data protection concerns have led to the insertion of data protection provisions into the contract between him and the postcode contractor, Capita Ireland, and the drafting of the Communications Regulation (Postal Service) (Amendment) Bill 2015.

The introduction of unique postcodes has received mixed responses from stakeholders. Some, such as An Post and Nightline, are fully supportive while others, such as the National Transport Authority, NTA, do not believe that it provides the optimal version of a national postcode system. Others like Digital Rights Ireland have continued to express concerns regarding policy issues such as data protection. The Bill will, therefore, provide a framework to address data protection concerns and pave the way for the implementation of Eircode later this summer. The implementation of Eircode will be accompanied by a public information campaign, which I welcome.

Ireland is the only country in the EU and OECD that does not have a national postcode system. Eircode has been described as being far more than just a postcode. It has been dubbed a smart location code that will identify an individual address, rural or urban, and show exactly where it is located. Each postal address in the State, including apartments and businesses, will receive a unique postcode. This is in contrast to other countries where postcodes tend to define clusters or groups of addresses. I am glad to see that the relevant senior Minister, Deputy White, is present for the debate on this important project. He has stated that the introduction of Eircode will be a major advance, including for business and the community in general.

In 2010, the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources commented that there was an anomaly in the Commissioner's line of reasoning, in that urban dwellers were easily identified by way of house numbers and street names while rural dwellers were not so easily identified. The joint committee, the current version of which I am a member of, further commented that it was difficult to envision how the privacy of the urban dweller as well as the rural dweller could be safeguarded. We hope that provisions will be put in place to ensure strong safeguards.

The main problem with a database-driven postcode is that, to use it, one needs access to the database. For persons out and about, this means that they must either have copies of the database on handheld computers or smartphones or they must have access to the database using over-the-air connections. It has been reported that the full Eircode database will be in the region of 2 GB in size. Just to put that in perspective, the full NAVTEQ database of maps and postcodes for all of Europe is approximately 2 GB. If our database ends up at 2 GB, the vast majority of Sat Nav devices already in use will not be able to hold the Eircode database and detailed maps of Ireland. These technicalities must be addressed to make the system fit for purpose for the general public.

Since Eircode postcodes will be secret, one will not know a neighbour's or stranger's code without being told it. If one happens to be a tourist on a drive in a rural area who comes across a house on fire, one may have no means of directing the emergency services to the location. No possibility exists with Eircode to generate a code on the spot unlike algorithm-based codes, which offer this feature. Eircode postcodes could cost lives, either directly because of errors or indirectly because a better system could improve response times, leading to more lives being saved. We must ensure that what we are doing through this Bill does not lead to such fatalities. We must rejig the system to make it safe. It can be done.

A major advantage that Loc8 codes have over Eircode is that the zone and locality codes are logically rather than randomly assigned. This means that delivery drivers or emergency service personnel will be able to learn the zone or locality structures that apply to their areas of responsibility. Another significant plus over Eircode is that the full and locality versions of the Loc8 code include a checker digit that helps to detect common human errors. Loc8 codes are ideal for emergency services in particular. A dwelling-based postcode is only useful for emergencies that occur in and close to dwellings, but many incidents occur away from dwellings, such as cliff, mountaineering and potholing accidents, farm accidents, forestry accidents, missing persons, light aircraft crashes etc. The Loc8 code can help in these situations, as any location on the island of Ireland can be given such a code. Eircode postcodes are particularly useful when reporting issues relating to dwellings, but for many of the day-to-day problems experienced by utility companies and local authorities, Eircode is useless. Using Loc8 codes, it is possible to report a dangerous pothole to a local authority with an accuracy of 6 m, livestock on a road, a faulty street lamp or a gas leak. This shows the benefits of Loc8 codes.

As any location can have a Loc8 code, it is especially useful for tourism. Waymarked trails can use it to indicate points along trails or cycleways. Tours could be devised that follow Loc8 codes, which would not be possible using Eircode. This is particularly relevant to a tourism county, for example, County Kerry where I dwell. The Ring of Kerry is in south Kerry and the new tourism route, the Ring of North Kerry, has major potential. There are also the Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Beara tours. Kerry is the most frequently visited county in the country. Using Loc8 codes would be a major plus, as they are ideal for our tour guides etc.

Overall, I welcome this Bill, but a bit of tweaking is necessary here and there.

Perhaps there is a need to look at some of the other technical uses of this system, such as the ways in which various technologies could be combined and connected into it.

I would like to conclude by mentioning an important aspect of this matter that is directly related to the Minister's portfolio. I put it to him that there will not be much need for postcodes if we do not have any post offices. As has already been said in this Chamber, we are well aware of the need to protect and enhance our post offices. I am hopeful and confident that the Minister will be positive in his support of the post office system. The form recently sent out by the office of the Minister for Social Protection, advising customers and social welfare recipients to bypass post offices and instead go to the banks, was a devastating initiative. I ask the Minister, Deputy White, to intervene in every way possible with the Tánaiste on this matter. The Cabinet should take up this matter in a serious way. If we do not get the maximum number of people to use post offices for their social welfare business, which is what they generally want, it will be to the detriment of post offices. It is mischievous that they are being directed to go elsewhere. It will cost jobs. I hope it does not lead to the closure of post offices. I ask the Minister to intervene in this regard as a matter of urgency.

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