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COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER DENIS Naughten has mounted a staunch defence of the Eircode system, on the first anniversary of its launch.
The postcode system, launched last July by the Fine Gael-Labour government, cost some €38 million to implement.
It was met with criticism right away – from freight transport firms, amongst others.
Last autumn, the Comptroller and Auditor General indicated in a report that the system may not even be worth that multi-million euro outlay - and in the Dáil last month, Fianna Fáil communications spokesman Timmy Dooley pointed to a recent study showing only 5% of people know their own Eircode.
“When Eircode is fully operational it will be good value for money,” Naughten insisted, on Morning Ireland today.
“We’re at a situation at the moment – we’re 12 months in operation – where it’s like taking a small baby who has started to crawl and saying ‘well why isn’t the baby running’.
It will take three to five years for this to be fully implemented.
He said PPS numbers were also criticised when they were introduced, but were now in widespread use, and insisted that good progress had been made utilising the system in the last year – particularly in rural areas.
‘Saving lives’
The independent TD, who represents Roscommon-Galway, repeated the assertion he made in the Dáil last month that the new system had boosted the ability of emergency services to respond to call-outs.
“Since February of this year, the National Ambulance Service are using Eircode.
“As you know we’ve had particular problems in the Midlands and the West of Ireland with ambulances going missing, delays and so forth.
Now the Eircode can pinpoint individual homes. It will mean that ambulances can get there an awful lot quicker and can respond to the emergency.
Naughten explained that improvements had also been made in other areas.
TheJournal.ie asked the HSE last month how widely Eircodes were being used by the ambulance service. We were told the NAS “does not routinely report on the use of Eircodes”.
You can read our FactCheck of Naughten’s Dáil claim that Eircode has “saved lives” here.
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My grandfather was in good company so, same unit as Leo!
@winston smith: chip off the old block?
I’d say your Grandfather wasn’t happy calling you after churchill so.
And there’s me thinking I was named after Winnie the Pooh…how could they!
Oriel House is a great story yet to be brought to the wider public! Pseudo intelligence unit doing the Free State Cabinets unsavoury work.
@Paul Maher: would now be known as a murder gang, only this was being done by the so called government.
@Larry Doherty: the so called goverment…… Did they the anti treaty side ever become the goverment or is it still the so called goverment 90 give or take years on
@Paul Maher:
GHQ Intelligence Squad, formed 1919, were based in Abbey Street.
GHQ Intelligence Office were based in Crowe Street.
Dublin Brigade ASU, formed in 1920, we’re based in Strand Street.
The Dublin Guard were based in Celbridge and later Beggars Bush.
Military Intelligence & CID were based in Oriel House – A common mistake made over the years by republicans is to say the Squad ended up being the murder gang in Oriel House. The funny thing is very few of the Squad had connections with Oriel House – only Paddy ‘Specky’ Griffin‘s name has been associated with the place in its early days. Nevertheless, it’s widely known that torture was used in Oriel House and men were murdered by members of the CID. Equally men were murdered and tortured by Dev’s men. It was a brutal Civil War.
Sure wasn’t the bold IRA more than a million brave men and women strong.. or was it two million??
Nice chips but at €3.50 …. They are a bit pricey
@Shane Freeney:
I agree too pricey and not the best in dublin golden chip in phibs way better
Smells fishy ! But great non the less.
When the chips are down, Burdocks is yer only man!
Documents have name listed as Liam Burdock social welfare fraud alive and well way back then.
@TonyF: his father was Patrick and his mother was Bella so who is Liam?
What a man!
Oriel House would make a great book if any historian got around to writing it.
Those in there lost the run of themselves after the death of Collins and were worse than the tans…
The DUP are now calling for immediate closure and decommissioning of all Leo burdocks premises before peace talks can recommence….
Have to visit next time I’m in the big smoke.
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