Government introduces Postcodes in Ireland..?

rinnin · 14-01-2008 6:25pm #1

"Dempsey announces programme to introduce postcodes in Ireland by 1st January 2008"
See the article at:
http://www.dcmnr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/Dempsey+announces+programme+to+introduce+postcodes+in+Ireland+by+1st+January+2008.htm

So Mr Dempsey,
Where the hell are they?! :mad:
Its absolutely rediculous that we dont have them here. If it was feckin Africa or something I'd understand but trying to order anything online or use Sat Nav or anything that a modern society takes for granted is a pain in the hoo ha.
What do people think about this?
Is there any decent reason Ireland shouldnt have postcodes?

Tails142 · 14-01-2008 6:30pm

government plans for post codes being developed by an post were held back by complaints and hold ups, generally some people are against it as they feel that it would be easier to distinguish who lives in **** holes and charge them higher insurance etc.

A private firm has taken the lead and developed their own system

http://www.gpsireland.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=79

an post's was based on easting and northings taken from map grid references and the post codes were long.

This system is based on letters and purports to position an address to 2m. Whether this system will take off is another question as its a private company so gps manufacturers and more than likely an post as well as other companies that want to use its systems will have to pay to incorporate them in their products - but developments are being made

Colonel Sanders · 14-01-2008 7:05pm

Tails142 wrote: »

some people are against it as they feel that it would be easier to distinguish who lives in **** holes and charge them higher insurance etc.

Hibernian already use geo coding and claim to rate at an individual address level, other comapnies will surely follow suit so the people complaining for this purpose would want to dig their heads out of the sand.

themarcus · 14-01-2008 8:57pm

rinnin wrote: »

Its absolutely rediculous that we dont have them here. If it was feckin Africa or something I'd understand but trying to order anything online or use Sat Nav or anything that a modern society takes for granted is a pain in the hoo ha

Not 100% sure, but I think most African countries actually do have postal codes!

Totally agree with you though, it's ridiculous we don't have them.......
Though I'm not sure how anything would be better cos of them!

rinnin · 14-01-2008 9:40pm

themarcus wrote: »

Though I'm not sure how anything would be better cos of them!

Huh? Dont know how anything would be better?

From the press release dated 23 May 2005:

The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey T.D., has today announced that postcodes will be introduced in Ireland by 1st January 2008.

“We are one of the only developed countries in the world that doesn’t have a postcode. When I took office I asked my officials to set up an expert Working Group to undertake a full examination of the issue and to report back to me,” said Minister Dempsey.

“The Working Group identified substantial benefits to be gained by the introduction of a postcode, not just to improve the quality of postal services but also to facilitate public utilities and business in accurately identifying their customers. In particular, it is planned to overcome the problem of identifying the estimated 40% of addresses in Ireland that are not unique,” said Minister Dempsey.

“A postcode is a vital piece of infrastructure for a modern developed economy. Without an effective postcode in Ireland, there is a real danger that not only postal operators, but also consumers, business and public services will be at a disadvantage compared to our EU partners. This Fianna Fáil led Government is committed to redressing this situation,” he added.

To advance the project, the Minister will shortly appoint a National Postcode Project Management Board, which will represent stakeholders. The Minister has asked the Chairperson of ComReg, Isolde Goggin, to appoint Project Managers with the necessary technical expertise to design a suitable postcode and to subject it to a full cost benefit analysis. The Project Managers will report to the Project Board.

Work on the design of the project, which is expected to take about six months to complete, will get underway following a tendering process to select the Project Managers.

If Mr. Dempsey actually believed what he was talking about and actually gave a damn, its quite possible we'd have them today and not be the laughing stock of the world.

Fratton Fred · 14-01-2008 9:47pm

how hard exactly can it be to create a postcode system, especially considering all our EU partners have them and Ireland's nearest neighbour has a very simple and very effective system which could be easliy copied.

No doubt the government is paying someone a fortune to re-invent the wheel.

luckat · 14-01-2008 10:11pm

If you were really impassioned about it, I suppose you could start using them unilaterally. It used to be a standard in An Post that someone would address a letter by longitude and latitude and it would be calmly delivered.

rinnin · 15-01-2008 1:10am

luckat wrote: »

If you were really impassioned about it, I suppose you could start using them unilaterally. It used to be a standard in An Post that someone would address a letter by longitude and latitude and it would be calmly delivered.

Wow. That would be weird. So if you just click on an address in Google Earth & write down their coordinates and it would get there?.
So to send a letter to Aras an Uachtaran youd only have to address it to:
53°21′35″N 6°19′03″W ?

rinnin · 15-01-2008 1:13am

I wish someone would ring Joe Duffy or Gerry Ryan or someone and get them so see what the story is. (I would but I'm in college in the UK)

flogen · 15-01-2008 2:36am

If I'm not mistaken An Post are against the introduction of postcodes in Ireland - they say they're unnecessary as technology has surpassed the need for them.

Basically when they say "technology" they're referring to their technology, that can automatically read whole addresses and doesn't need the code at the end to know the desired location of a package.

They obviously don't give two shíts about private mail and courier operations, ambulance services or the individual using his/her GPS system to name but a few.

Dave! · 15-01-2008 3:08am

rinnin wrote: »

If Mr. Dempsey actually believed what he was talking about and actually gave a damn, its quite possible we'd have them today and not be the laughing stock of the world.

Yeah, I can just hear the sniggers at the UN General Assembly every time Ireland is mentioned

"Stupid paddies don't even have postal codes, lol!"

Seriously though, if it's likely to benefit the country, get the lead out.

Firetrap · 15-01-2008 11:18pm

From what I've been told, An Post isn't exactly one of the most progressive or efficient organisations in the world. I bet they're opposed to postcodes because it would involve changes in work practices for them. And of course, that's all that matters at the end of the day.

LostinBlanch · 16-01-2008 12:06am

Well post codes could mean that people are going to get more junk mail. Anything that means that I get less crap through my door is ok by me.

Red Alert · 16-01-2008 11:01pm

Surely their equipment can read postcodes and will need less manual help doing so. I think it is about time we had them and had the required privacy legislation to keep bulk marketers at bay under pain of stiff penalties.

Oilrig · 17-01-2008 12:56am

Post Codes and Spam Letters are two different issues.

Post Codes are the way to go IMHO, definitive location. Makes the logistics easy.

Spam Mail is the postal provider (An Post) making money as a "sideline" As long as there is an opt out on being included in these I see no problem. The opt out should be all inclusive, ie all mailshots. That means restrictions on An Post selling our details to private companies who do their own mailshots.

chipclub · 17-01-2008 10:41am

flogen wrote: »

If I'm not mistaken An Post are against the introduction of postcodes in Ireland - they say they're unnecessary as technology has surpassed the need for them.

Basically when they say "technology" they're referring to their technology, that can automatically read whole addresses and doesn't need the code at the end to know the desired location of a package.

They obviously don't give two shíts about private mail and courier operations, ambulance services or the individual using his/her GPS system to name but a few.

Very good for An Post. Now if they can use this technology to differentiate my address in the arsehole of Meath from the other 50 identical addresses in the same townland then that would be just super. At the moment I get my mail because the postman knows the name of each individual householder so my name is a very key thing in the address. Couriers are very difficult. The only way I can get something delivered is to talk to the driver and give exact instructions - "third house on the left past the big tree". God forbid if I ever need an emergency service. I don't fancy trying to direct an amulance to the house as I gasp my last breath. There must be hundreds of thousands of addresses around the country in the same situation.

Victor · 17-01-2008 9:53pm

Oilrig wrote: »

Spam Mail is the postal provider (An Post) making money as a "sideline" As long as there is an opt out on being included in these I see no problem. The opt out should be all inclusive, ie all mailshots. That means restrictions on An Post selling our details to private companies who do their own mailshots.

Spammers have many ways of getting your address without the post company selling your details.

Spammers like post codes as it means they can tailor their mail shots more easily.

simu · 17-01-2008 10:47pm

rinnin wrote: »

If Mr. Dempsey actually believed what he was talking about and actually gave a damn, its quite possible we'd have them today and not be the laughing stock of the world.

I thought we'd recovered enough from our "post-colonial inferiority complex" not to care anymore what the rest of the world thinks? The Irish way or the (vastly over budget and expected timeframe) highway.

Seriously, we seem to do fine without them and we're certainly better off with less not more junkmail. Isn't it nice to live in a country where the postman nearly knows your name!

Pye · 18-01-2008 4:37am

I don't want a post code. =(

I don't see how we're a "laughing stock" without post codes. I've never had trouble with them not being present apart from yahoo not letting me sign up but that was easily fixed. Had a quite few things delivered by courier and all things ordered on-line arrived here problem free.

For the record An Post does a better job than Royal Mail. I was very happy with the time it took for my Christmas post to the states to arrive as opposed to when sending from the UK.

RedPlanet · 18-01-2008 10:55am

I've lived in many places around the country and have never had a postcode (bar when i was living in Dublin), yet never had trouble receiving post.
Insofar as people with identical addresses, well if they are aware of that fact than why not change something about their address, like include the name of the house or add a number?
I bet the post still comes through.

rinnin · 18-01-2008 11:20am

Jesus Christ! Its 2008 people! Get with the times.

oscarBravo · 18-01-2008 12:25pm

I keep reading things like "I don't need a postcode, I always get my post."

Postcodes are not about post - it's great for An Post that the postman knows where you live, but not everything is delivered by An Post.

I can relate to chipclub's post above, having previously lived out in the country, but now that I live in a town, I still have to explain to couriers how to find my house.

rinnin · 30-01-2008 5:07pm

Another example to all the conservatives afraid of change,
Just got an email from a guy in the states. Looked at his zip code in the address below his signature. Went to google maps. Typed in 63146 and BAM got his exact location.
Someone wanted to buy something from me the other day and instead of asking where they're coming from, telling them which road to take, which turn etc etc just gave them my postcode here in the UK & they rang me when they were outside my door.
Type M14 5QD into Google Maps & you'll see where I am then you can see all the local shops, restaurants, petrol stations, post offices etc etc around this postcode.
Now imagine trying to do that with an address like "The Birches", Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan.

gurramok · 30-01-2008 6:45pm

So its An Post's monopoly on post that is holding the whole thing up of moving with the times.
Can the Competition Authority or the EU do anything about this, unfair competition with An Post having unfair advantage over other companies with their own system which they do not share?

Flukey · 31-01-2008 12:36am

We have post codes. They're called addresses!!!! We don't really need much more than that in a country of our size. The odd location here and there might need a better addressing system, but the vast majority of addresses are more than sufficient, when things are properly addressed.

flogen · 31-01-2008 1:18am

chipclub wrote: »

Very good for An Post. Now if they can use this technology to differentiate my address in the arsehole of Meath from the other 50 identical addresses in the same townland then that would be just super. At the moment I get my mail because the postman knows the name of each individual householder so my name is a very key thing in the address. Couriers are very difficult. The only way I can get something delivered is to talk to the driver and give exact instructions - "third house on the left past the big tree". God forbid if I ever need an emergency service. I don't fancy trying to direct an amulance to the house as I gasp my last breath. There must be hundreds of thousands of addresses around the country in the same situation.

Indeed - even here in Dublin we've had letters intended for us (but with the wrong address) delivered here because the postman knew the names of people in each house.

At least a proper postcode system would minimise the dependency on the local posty's knowledge-base.

Sponge Bob · 31-01-2008 1:24am

oscarBravo wrote: »

I still have to explain to couriers how to find my house.

I have my GPS Long and Lat co ordinates stored to 6 decimal pints in my mobile. I just send him my business card

This gets him within 1m of the front door unless he is a really thick **** and with no Satnav.

I like this private effort to do what Dempsey was always too thick to sort out...ironically he is minister for Transport now .

Sponge Bob likes GPS Ireland as long as that list is open source or creative commons at worst !

rinnin · 31-01-2008 2:21am

Flukey wrote: »

We have post codes. They're called addresses!!!! We don't really need much more than that in a country of our size. The odd location here and there might need a better addressing system, but the vast majority of addresses are more than sufficient, when things are properly addressed.

This doesnt even deserve a response.

oscarBravo · 31-01-2008 12:34pm

Sponge Bob wrote: »

I have my GPS Long and Lat co ordinates stored to 6 decimal pints in my mobile. I just send him my business card

WGS84 or IG?

Sponge Bob wrote: »

I like this private effort to do what Dempsey was always too thick to sort out...ironically he is minister for Transport now .

Sponge Bob likes GPS Ireland as long as that list is open source or creative commons at worst !

I've asked Gary about that - "yes but not just yet."

rlogue · 31-01-2008 1:23pm

Flukey wrote: »

We have post codes. They're called addresses!!!! We don't really need much more than that in a country of our size. The odd location here and there might need a better addressing system, but the vast majority of addresses are more than sufficient, when things are properly addressed.

You don't get it do you Flukey??

It's very much in An Post's interests NOT to have a universal post code in Ireland, because without one An Post's competitors do not have the same advantage that An Post has - namely the local knowledge of the An Post postmen.

With a universal post code it then becomes possible to tie a postcode to a specific location and that means that GPS systems and other geographical database systems can pinpoint specific locations without the need to guess.

Right now the only people benefitting from no postcodes in Ireland are An Post and the sort of people who think it's great that we are behind the times...

gurramok · 31-01-2008 4:17pm

rlogue wrote: »

You don't get it do you Flukey??
Right now the only people benefitting from no postcodes in Ireland are An Post and the sort of people who think it's great that we are behind the times...

Or those that don't want to be found

Government introduces Postcodes in Ireland..?

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