We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS refused to comment on the cost of the contract to run Ireland’s new postcode system amid claims in the Dáil that it will cost €30 million over 10 years.
The contract to develop the new system, which is to be rolled out across Ireland next year, was won by a consortium headed by Capita Ireland following a tender process under the Department for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
The process began in 2011 and invited interested parties to compete for the postcode management licence for a period of ten years.
Sinn Féin TD Micheal Colreavy asked the minister about the process last week, saying that one aspect of the deal was “extraordinary”:
A postcode system entails converting map coordinates into machine-readable format and it is not a complicated process. Yet, it is reported that this cost €25.6 million for a contract over ten years and in addition there will be a tender for a contract for technical advice and support. This is extraordinary because I would have thought this cost would have been included in €25.6 million.
Minister Pat Rabbitte responded by telling Colreavy that the process was “a great deal more complex than he has presented” but did not go into the specific cost of the the process.
He did, however, tell the Dáil that the department was assisted in the process by a consulting firm:
Given the technical complexity of the project, the department ran the procurement following a competitive dialogue procedure provided for in the public supply and works directive. The procurement was managed by my department assisted by its advisors, PA Consulting.
Colreavy also claimed that the tendering process required applicant companies to have a turnover threshold of €40 million, something he said “excluded most Irish IT companies from the competition”.
The minister said he did not know there was a turnover threshold in place and was “sceptical as to whether that was, in fact, the case”.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Sandy sounds increasingly like my wife when she’s on the warpath!
It must get very windy in your house, does she blow hot or cold air?
Dept of Foreign Affairs is kind of late to the party with that advice. The east coast airports are closed. People couldn’t travel even of they wanted to.
The first paragraph does not make sense because you won’t be able to travel to the US. All flights are cancelled to the north east.
To be fair, the advice is also intended for people who aren’t necessarily travelling directly from Ireland.
Gavan, true but you can’t travel without the plane.
No, but like I said, if you’re not currently in Ireland and happened to be, say, elsewhere in the USA, perhaps you were intending to drive to the north-east?
People need to be told this? Anyone likely to look to see probably already has a fair idea of what’s going on there,
You’d be surprised (maybe not) at the stupidity of some people still.
Some still have to be told these things sadly.
Like the America packets of peanuts that has on the packets “Warning: Contains nuts” Loads of similar examples available).
Silly to state these things but sadly have to still be done because people can be stupid.
have your say