Protest over Irish language omissions

Yesterday’s Eircode launch saw a protest by a group that claims 50,000 Irish language addresses are either incomplete or have been entirely omitted from the new postcode database.

Members of Conradh na Gaeilge donned vintage clothing to evoke memories of a 1910 protest at the GPO when the group sought to compel the British government to allow letters addressed in Irish to be delivered through the Royal Mail in 1910.

“There are 50,000 placenames in the Irish language that are missing from the database and we feel that it is extremely wrong that the Irish language has been marginalised again,” said Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha of Conradh na Gaeilge.

“Given that €27m has been spent on this system, we feel it is a total disgrace the Irish language is being marginalised and the rights of Irish language speakers are being denied again.”

Mr Mac Fhlannchadha said the group had worked with the department and had saw some welcome changes, including the introduction of a language-neutral code instead of an English-language based system was originally planned.

He said, however, that as far as the group was aware, there are no plans to include or update about 50,000 addresses in the system as the Government was not prepared to pay the costs required.

Communications Minister Alex White said no addresses are excluded from Eircode.

“All addresses are included. Every single address in the State is included,” said Mr White. “People can be reassured on that. There will be no address excluded.

“There might be an element of misunderstanding at the beginning, we’re just launching today.

“I think an important infrastructural project like this is naturally going to take some time to bed down for people to understand it.”

However, Eircode director Liam Duggan conceded some addresses are missing, but said that it was a matter for the Department of Arts, Culture, and the Gaeltacht.

“The source data has Irish language addresses for most of the addresses,” he said.

While Ibec has welcomed the introduction of Eircode, Opposition parties were critical.

“It is absolutely crazy this new system is going live today when it is still riddled with flaws,” said Fianna Fáil’s Michael Moynihan.

“The fact that key stakeholders have not been brought on board with the new postcodes is extremely worrying, and will result in chaos for businesses, emergency services, motorists, and householders.”