Tag: Republic of Ireland

Scheme to introduce postcodes could cost up to euro 50m

Posted by | Jun 9, 2008 | |

The introduction of postcodes across the country will initially cost euro 15m, with the overall cost likely to be more than three times that.

The National Postcode Project Board (NPPB) has advised the government that euro 15m is the “upfront cost” of establishing, implementing and promoting the postcode.

An Post estimates that the overall cost of the scheme could be as high as euro 50m.

But Communications Minister Eamon Ryan has now decided to recruit more consultants to establish a “more complete estimate of the costs and benefits” of postcodes to the public sector.

The idea was first mooted by Mr Ryan’s predecessor Noel Dempsey, now Transport Minister, who originally set a deadline of 2008 for postcodes to be brought in.

On taking office last summer, the Green Party Minister pledged to press ahead with the introduction of a “clear and simple system” of postcodes as soon as possible.

Given the continued delays, however, it appears unlikely postcodes will be introduced before 2009.

Last night, Labour’s Liz McManus said she was not yet convinced of the necessity for postcodes and whether they should be prioritised.

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Postal Industry Launches Global Carbon Measurement System

Posted by | Jun 2, 2008 | |

The International Post Corporation (IPC) has launched an environmental measurement and monitoring system providing a common carbon measurement and reporting framework for the global postal industry.

The launch and formal adoption by IPC member postal operators including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK, took place at IPC’s Annual Conference 2008 in La Chapelle en Serval, France on 30 May. The event was attended by CEOs from Europe, the Asia-Pacific and North America.
The system provides the postal industry with a transparent, scientific, sector specific carbon management and measurement system based on the requirements of international best practice standards, such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, DJSI, FTSE4Good, ISO 14001, and current best practice from the corporate environment. The system evaluates performance through the application of a scoring system that grades performance in ten carbon management proficiency areas and in key numeric carbon efficiency indicators.

The environmental measurement and monitoring system was also built on best practice as exemplified by customers of IPC members and is highly responsive to customer requirements and interests in measuring their own carbon footprint in their value chains.

The system will be piloted in 2008, with results from the first round of measurement expected to be announced in November 2009.

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Direct mail 'better than internet or phone'

Posted by | May 30, 2008 | |

Companies may be better off contacting potential customers via direct mail than the internet or telephone, according to new research.
A study carried out by Amarach on behalf of the Irish postal service An Post, claimed the majority of people read their post as soon as they receive it.

Although around 70 pct of people felt most of the direct mail they receive is irrelevant, nearly half said that they enjoy reading their post and 70 pct said they preferred companies to use the postal service.

The positive response for direct mail is surprising given that in the same research, nearly two-thirds of the people surveyed said they felt negatively towards direct mail.

Furthermore, 80 pct of the 1,000 people who were surveyed for the report said they felt the amount of direct mail sent out should be limited because of the impact on the environment.

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Irish Postal Operator Broadens Online Facilities

Posted by | May 5, 2008 | |

An Post, has recently added the facility to buy or renew TV Licences as part of its online facilities

Communications Minister Eamon Ryan last week launched www.tvlicence.ie, a handy and secure new website facility for buying and renewing a Television Licence.

As well as buying or renewing a licence, householders and businesses can use the new on-line facility to update their contact details, should they move house or premises during the term of their licence.

TV Licence Manager at An Post, Mary Harrahill, explained that buying or renewing a licence through www.tvlicence.ie is quick, secure and very easy to do: “First-time buyers simply key in their name and address. Existing customers use the reference number and PIN number displayed on the renewal notice. After confirming their details, customers can choose to pay by Laser, Visa or Mastercard. They can print off the payment confirmation and the new licence will be posted to them within ten working days, it’s simple as that.

1,059,682 licences were purchased by householders and businesses in 2007. A Television Licence costs EUR 160 per year. Every household, business, holiday home or other premises with a television must have a TV Licence. General TV Licence information is available on the website in Irish and eleven other languages including Chinese, Polish, Lithuanian, Portuguese and Spanish.

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The Irish Postmasters’ Union seeks retention of welfare payments

Posted by | May 4, 2008 | |

The Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) has called on the Government to retain the Post Office network as the provider of choice for the delivery of welfare payments.

Speaking at the IPU’s annual conference in Mullingar, the union’s general secretary called for the retention of the contract in order to halt the closure of post offices.

IPU General Secretary John Kane said: “The network is currently in rapid decline. There are now 1200 Post Offices following 500 closures in the past eight years and the stark fact is that the future of there being a localised network depends on the retention of social welfare business.”

According to IPU figures, the share of the social welfare contract handled by Post Offices declined from 80% in 1998 to 55% in 2005, as people pay directly into their bank accounts.

The government is currently reviewing the social welfare contract and has yet to make a decision on a future policy regarding the delivery of payments.

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