Postal codes are as useful as junk mail

AS a Canadian resident for most of the year, I have always replied to those who asked for a postal code in the Irish Republic: “Oh, the Irish mail men know where the addresses are”.

Now your Communications Minister, Noel Dempsey, after listening to the postal code providers, has decided to introduce them at a cost of millions or, since it is Ireland, tens of millions.

This is barely six months after the Canadian post office authorities admitted that with new machines that can read handwriting, postal codes are no longer needed for the delivery of addressed mail. Their only use is to make it somewhat easier to deliver unaddressed junk mail to target higher income areas.

Mr Dempsey says postal codes would “allow the emergency services to pinpoint addresses on call-outs”. This is obviously some form of Irish humour. Anyone with a map and knowledge of an area has no need of a postal code. I have never heard of a dispatcher, whether of taxies or emergency services, ever using a postal code in North America.

To paraphrase British comedian Peter Cook’s query “Have you learned from our mistakes, Mr Dempsey?”

“Oh yes, I could repeat them perfectly!”

Garry B Nixon

41 Tyrone Place

Cork