State to issue seven-digit postcode to every household

Life

A new national postcode system will to come into effect from 2015, providing a unique seven character code to every letter-box in the state by 2015.

Under the new system, Ireland will be the first country in the world to have a public database of unique identifiers for all properties that will assist citizens, public bodies and businesses to locate every individual household in the State.

The postcode will be a seven-character code in the format A65 B2CD, with the first three characters relating to a general area or postal district in which the address is located. For example, in Dublin, existing postal districts will appear as the first three characters of the new postcode.

The new system, which will be operational in Spring 2015, will bring Ireland in line with other European countries whereby postcode systems have been the norm for many decades.

Minister Rabbitte (pictured) said: "Most countries have had the benefit of such systems since the mid 1900s… The Irish code will be the first in the world to be unique to each individual address.

The government has also approved, subject to contract, the appointment of a consortium headed by Capita Ireland as the company which will develop, roll-out and operate the postcode system.

TechCentral Reporters

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