Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 3: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the rationale behind the postal code system that he is proposing to introduce here; the timescale and cost for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35840/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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For any developed country, a postcode system is a key piece of national infrastructure that can deliver economic and social benefits across the whole economy. Ireland is the only country in the EU that does not have such a code in place. Consultations conducted by the National Postcode Project Board's advisors revealed an overwhelming support for the introduction of postcodes across public, private and voluntary sectors and identified that postcodes would not only deliver benefits for the postal sector but also would contribute to the development of a knowledge economy and the country's overall competitiveness.

With respect to the postal sector, the forthcoming liberalisation of the market in 2011 has highlighted the absence of a postcode as a potential barrier to market development and many stakeholders see postcodes as playing an important role in development of a competitive, high-quality postal sector. However, some of the more significant benefits of having a postcode in place will materialise outside of the postal and logistics sectors. These benefits include providing an enhanced capacity and capability to use spatial data effectively and link databases with spatial elements across Government. Using spatial data more effectively can improve public policy making and help with the more effective use of resources. Postcodes will also facilitate better location-based services and will also facilitate the speedier deployment of emergency services.

The National Postcodes Project Board's report estimated upfront costs of establishing a postcode address database, implementing and promoting the postcode would be in the region of €15m. Following on from the Government approval to implement postcodes, my officials and I are currently working to address the next steps in this project, including the process of selecting a body to implement the proposed system. It is expected that postcodes will be assigned and in use in 2011 based on a competitive process which will be launched before the end of this year.