Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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693. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent by his Department on designing, implementing and supporting the Eircode system in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [28140/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Eircodes are used by my Department in the passport application process. The Passport Service has upgraded its processes to allow for the capture and use of Eircodes. Since 2015, modified passport application forms have been introduced which include an Eircode field in the address section. Backend systems have accordingly been redesigned. Online applications also support Eircode.

In addition application forms for Consular Services, including for Foreign Births Registration and Marriages Abroad include Eircode in the address.

My Department continues to review systems to assess how we can support the implementation of Eircode and how we can maximize its benefits in our communications with our customers and to accurately identify delivery addresses.

Where appropriate, Eircodes are included on official Department stationery and incorporated into the contact details of each office on our websites.

Expenditure specifically on system design for Eircodes: