You've got mail

IT’S the part of the internet that makes you a little sheepish. You’re filling out a form, typing in your name and address, and then the website asks for your ZIP code.

You almost blush on behalf of Ireland. It’s like being the customer in a queue whose situation is complicated and needs to speak to someone sympathetic in order ‘to explain your situation. “Well, it’s like this, you see ... I’m from Ireland, we haven’t got ZIP codes.” You can hear the rest of the internet sniggering. “Even we have postal codes” — whispers an Afghan sardonically, “and our country has been in a permanent state of war since 1980.” In the end, as the website tut-tutts, you hastily type 0000 into the field and carry on.

That is all going to change. We are getting postcodes.