Outreach under way ahead of postcodes
Eircode “smart” location codes will be assigned to all individual Irish addresses.
This is designed to make delivery of services and goods to households easier, and to accurately and quickly identify an address where emergency medical treatment is needed.
During the launch phase this summer, all residents and businesses will receive a letter notifying them of the Eircode for their address. Addresses will not be changing; an Eircode will simply be added to current addresses.
Most people will not have difficulty with Eircode, but a nationwide outreach effort will aim to help people who may get left behind when Eircodes are introduced.
The Wheel, an organisation which supports and represents the community and voluntary sector, and Irish Rural Link, are among groups involved in the outreach. On the ground, several local development companies are involved.
The target group who may have difficulties with Eircode are likely to be older, have less formal education, be farmers or live in rural areas, be disadvantaged (by disability, living alone, etc), and have few social networks.
Such people are best reached through people that they already know and trust and are well-placed to advise them one-to-one or one-to-few, to tell them about Eircode, to answer their questions and to reassure them.
People from a range of organisations are invited to contribute, to help their neighbours, and possibly to arrange outreach events.
Further information on the outreach programme is available from the www.wheel.ie/eircode or www.irishrurallink.ie/eircode websites. Further general information on Eircode is available at the www.eircode.ie website.
