Postcode privacy ’solutions’ promised

The controversial new postcode system will not be introduced until "satisfactory solutions" are put in place to address "serious concerns", the Data Protection Commissioner has confirmed.

The Eircode system, due to be introduced next year, will give a unique identifying code to every address in the country, despite long-expressed objections by the Data Protection Commissioner.

In 2006, Billy Hawkes, who stepped down as Data Protection Commissioner last September, advised the board formed to consider the feasibility, design and implementation the system that the postcode should identify areas rather than individual addresses.