Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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154. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the position regarding the issuing of Eircodes, particularly to new housing developments, will be clarified; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the delay in issuing Eircodes to newly built and recently occupied houses is an impediment to the provision of broadband, as all broadband providers have a requirement for an Eircode before they will provide a service; if arrangements will be made to expedite the issue of Eircodes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39917/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Capita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, was awarded a 10 year contract in December 2013 to develop, implement, maintain and promote the National Postcode System "Eircode".

Eircodes are assigned to new property addresses using a valid postal address and verified geo-locations. An Post collects information on new and existing buildings, as well as changes to existing addresses and Ordnance Survey Ireland provides the geo-locations for these buildings. An Post GeoDirectory, a subsidiary company of An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland, issue a new release of the GeoDirectory database file on a quarterly basis to Eircode in accordance with their licence agreement.

Each new postal address assigned an Eircode is published on the free to use Eircode Finder website, a notification letter is issued to the property occupant containing the Eircode of that address and an updated Eircode Database is provided to licensed businesses for their use. Eircode have informed my Department that over 119,600 property addresses have been assigned an Eircode since the launch in 2015.

Once the Eircode database is updated on a quarterly basis it is then a matter for individual commercial businesses to apply and integrate the latest Eircode updates into their systems to meet their business needs and those of their customers, in accordance with the terms of their licence agreements.

Operational matters and commercial decisions of private commercial operators, including the updating of their database, are a matter for these commercial operators and one in which I have no direct function.

In recognition of the fact that earlier assignment of Eircodes to new builds is desirable, my officials are working with An Post, Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi), An Post GeoDirectory and Capita to improve and expedite the existing process.