Déanfaimid ár mbreithniú ar Eircode agus an conradh nua ina leith leis na hionadaithe seo a leanas ón eagraíocht An Post: Cyril McGrane, stiúrthóir trádála idirnáisiúnta do ghnó poist agus pacáistí agus ball de bhord GeoDirectory, agus Dara Keogh, príomhfheidhmeannach GeoDirectory, agus leis na hionadaithe seo a leanas ón Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt: Feargal Ó Coigligh, an t-ard-rúnaí; Ben King, príomhoifigeach san aonad nuálaíocht digiteach agus Eircode; agus Dan Lawlor, príomhoifigeach cúnta san aonad céanna. Cuirim fáilte mhór rompu. Cuirim ar an taifead go bhfuil na finnéithe go léir ag freastal ar an gcruinniú ó sheomra coiste 3, taobh istigh de phurláin Thithe an Oireachtais.

Sula leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh, tá sé de dhualgas orm na rialacha agus na treoracha seo a leanas a leagan faoi bhráid na bhfinnéithe agus na gcomhaltaí uile. Meabhraím dóibh a chinntiú go bhfuil a ngutháin shoghluaiste múchta le linn an chruinnithe mar is féidir leis na gléasanna sin a chur isteach ar an gcóras craolacháin, eagarthóireachta agus fuaime. Tá an rogha ag comhaltaí freastal ar an gcruinniú go fisiciúil sa seomra coiste nó go fíorúil ar Microsoft Teams ar an gcoinníoll, i gcás cruinnithe poiblí, gur óna n-oifigí i dTithe an Oireachtais a dhéantar sin. Is riachtanas bunreachtúil é sin. Nuair atá comhaltaí ag freastal óna n-oifigí, ba chóir dóibh a bhfíseán a bheith ar siúl an t-am go léir agus iad féin le feiscint ar an scáileán. Baineann an coinníoll seo le finnéithe freisin agus iad ag freastal ar an gcruinniú go fíorúil. Chomh maith leis sin, ba chóir dóibh a chinntiú go bhfuil na micreafóin múchta nuair nach bhfuil siad féin ag caint.

Cuirim ar aird na bhfinnéithe go bhfuil, de bhua Bhunreacht na hÉireann agus reachtaíochta araon, finnéithe faoi chosaint ag lánphribhléid maidir leis an bhfianaise a thugann siad don chomhchoiste chomh fada is atá siad lonnaithe laistigh de phurláin Thithe an Oireachtais agus an fhianaise sin á tabhairt acu. Is fíric é nach féidir le finnéithe brath ar an gcosaint sin agus fianaise á tabhairt acu ó lasmuigh de phurláin Thithe an Oireachtais. Molaim d’fhinnéithe a bheith cúramach agus fianaise á tabhairt acu. Má ordaím dóibh éirí as fianaise a thabhairt i leith ní áirithe, ba chóir dóibh amhlaidh a dhéanamh láithreach. Ordaítear dóibh gan aon fhianaise a thabhairt nach fianaise í a bhaineann le hábhar na n-imeachtaí atá á bplé againn. Ba chóir dóibh a bheith ar an eolas go ndéanfar na ráitis tosaigh a chuir siad faoi bhráid an chomhchoiste a fhoilsiú ar shuíomh gréasáin an chomhchoiste tar éis an chruinnithe seo.

Iarrtar ar fhinnéithe agus ar chomhaltaí araon cleachtadh parlaiminte a urramú nár chóir, más féidir, daoine nó eintiteas a cháineadh ná líomhaintí a dhéanamh ina n-aghaidh ná tuairimí a thabhairt maidir leo ina ainm, ina hainm nó ina n-ainm nó ar shlí go bhféadfaí iad a aithint. Chomh maith leis sin, iarrtar orthu gan aon rud a rá go bhféadfaí breathnú air mar ábhar díobhálach do dhea-chlú aon duine nó eintiteas. Mar sin, dá bhféadfadh a ráitis a bheith clúmhillteach do dhuine nó eintiteas aitheanta, ordóidh mé dóibh éirí as an ráiteas láithreach. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go ngéillfidh siad don ordú sin láithreach. An nglacann na finnéithe leis na treoracha sin? Glacann. Gabhaim buíochas leo. Iarraim ar na finnéithe a ráitis tosaigh a dhéanamh.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cathaoirleach. I thank him and members of the committee for having us here today. I am director of international trade for An Post's mails and parcels business. I also sit on the board of GeoDirectory. I am joined by my colleague, Dara Keogh, who runs GeoDirectory.

By way of background, GeoDirectory is jointly owned by An Post and Tailte Éireann. Our main job is to provide a geocoded buildings and addresses database to the market, and one of the biggest inputs into that is An Post’s official postal address database. We are not the operator of the Eircode system. We are the supplier of the core data that Eircode uses to provide and run the national eircode service.

Before I say a bit more about GeoDirectory, let me start with An Post. Each year, our teams deliver 367 million mail items to 2.5 million address points across the country. That is more than 2 million items every day. We deliver mail addressed in Irish and in English, right across the country. Our policy since the formation of the State is that an address in Irish should get the same quality of service as an address in English. The rules and methodology for handling Irish-language addresses are built into our standard operating procedures, and we refresh them regularly. In that context, while most of our delivery staff are primarily English-speaking, the number of colleagues whose first language is neither Irish nor English is steadily increasing as Ireland becomes more multicultural.

How do we capture address and location data, including Irish placenames? It comes from a few sources, namely, route updates from front-line delivery staff; what we see on the ground, like street signs or housing or office development nameplates; and everyday address queries. In designated Gaeltacht areas, where there is an Irish name, we record the locality in Irish as well as the English alternative, so that mail addressed in either language is treated equally. In reality, that also means dealing with spelling variations, abbreviations, alternative names and other common versions of Irish-language names. An Post’s website also allows customers check local addresses in both Irish and English. The main point I want to make is that we have a robust system for delivering mail in either language, including within Gaeltacht areas, and we are used to working with Irish and English versions of addresses, along with the many variants that exist in practice.

Like GeoDirectory, we use the official Irish names we receive from Logainm and we will keep focusing on the most efficient delivery service we can provide for our Gaeltacht customers, while continuing to build the data and local knowledge that the delivery networks depend on. If I may turn back to GeoDirectory for a moment, the quality of our data depends on the teams in An Post and Tailte Éireann who capture, confirm, and update address information in both English and Irish. An Post supplies address information, and Tailte Éireann provides boundaries and official townland names. The partnership is essential, and I acknowledge the very positive, constructive engagement between those organisations and GeoDirectory.

On the Irish-language side, our approach is straightforward: wherever we can, we use the Irish versions provided by Logainm. They are the experts in this area, and they have the specialist skills and experience to provide the best Irish translations. The most recent update of Irish-language translated addresses we received from Logainm was in late 2025. That data will be included in new GeoDirectory releases throughout 2026. As further updates come in from Logainm on an ongoing basis, we will incorporate them into the relevant address databases as quickly as possible. To give a sense of scale, the GeoDirectory database covers about 2.1 million buildings and 2.4 million addresses, roughly 2.17 million residential addresses and 298,000 commercial addresses. We update the data continuously throughout the year, from January to December. On average, that means around 500,000 changes annually. We also provide our main data product to the market four times a year, in January, April, July and October. Within GeoDirectory, we maintain two address databases: a geographic address database and an official postal address database. Both are held in English and, where available, in Irish.

One other point that is worth stressing, as we said the last time we engaged with the committee, is that this kind of dataset is always a snapshot in time. We work hard to keep pace with new builds and address changes, but capturing every element in Irish is not always immediate. For instance, when we first visit a new housing development, full addresses, street names for the whole estate, for example, may not yet have been assigned at that time. If we look specifically at Gaeltacht areas, using the Gaeltacht boundary dataset made available by Ordnance Survey Ireland, we currently have 61,655 addresses in GeoDirectory that fall within those boundaries. We also have entries in our Irish-language table for all 61,655 of those addresses. Where any part of an address is not translated, we keep that element in English. For example, a business name or house name may be in English. We will keep working with all parties to increase and improve the quantity and quality of Irish-language address data. We provide these addresses to all our commercial customers, including Eircode, and each customer decides which format and language to use in their own services. The key point is that GeoDirectory’s role is to make the database as comprehensive as possible. We do not, and cannot, direct how service providers choose to use the address records.

To sum up, An Post and GeoDirectory both have robust, ongoing processes for collecting and updating address data in English and Irish. Where we can, we use the official Irish names provided by Logainm, and we will continue working with our partners to keep the Irish-language address database as up to date and as complete as possible. We are and continue to be open to working with State agencies and with this committee to: broaden and normalise the use of Irish-language addressing; improve the quality and coverage of our address and delivery data; do that in a way that fully reflects the requirements of the Official Languages Act; and support the day-to-day use and growth of Irish in Gaeltacht communities and beyond. I thank the committee members for their time. We are happy to take any questions.

Gabhaim buíochas le comhaltaí an choiste as cuireadh as cuireadh a thabhairt dom freastal ar chruinniú an chomhchoiste inniu, chun an córas náisiúnta postchóid, Éirchóid, agus an conradh nua a bhaineann leis a phlé. Tá Ben King agus Dan Lawlor, oifigigh na Roinne, liom inniu.

Ós rud é go raibh freagrachtaí don Ghaeltacht orm roimhe seo mar Ard-Rúnaí, tuigim an tábhacht a bhaineann le hobair an choiste chun sochaí fíordhátheangach a chruthú. Mar Roinn Rialtais, táimid aireach ar ár ndualgais faoin réimse reachtaíochta, lena n-áirítear Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla agus beartas an Rialtais maidir le húsáid na Gaeilge. Tá an Roinn sásta go bhfuil an córas Éirchóid ag teacht le forálacha Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla. Agus sin ráite, is léir go bhfuil roinnt ceisteanna casta ann ó thaobh úsáid na Gaeilge i seoltaí agus an idirphlé leis an nua-teicneolaíocht i gcúrsaí cumarsáide go dearfach. Chuige sin, tá roinnt beart á gcur i gcrích ag an Roinn a phléann le sin agus déanfaidh mé iad sin a ríomh leis an choiste inniu.

Ar dtús báire, ó thaobh Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla, tá sé ráite ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne go bhfuil na socruithe riachtanacha curtha i bhfeidhm ag an Roinn chun a chinntiú go n-úsáidtear ainmneacha oifigiúla na gceantar Gaeltachta mar réamhshocrú chun críocha oifigiúla, i gcomhréir le hAcht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla agus le horduithe logainmneacha. Chomh maith leis sin, ní dhéantar seoltaí poist, lena n-áirítear seoltaí Gaeilge, a sholáthar i mbunachar sonraí aimsitheoir Éirchóid agus seoltaí Éirchóid ach ó sheoltaí poist atá bailithe ag An Post. Bíonn na seoltaí seo ar fáil sa GeoDirectory mar a chuala muid, nó i Logeolaire gur leis An Post é. Ar ndóigh, ní athraíonn Éirchód aon sheoladh, i nGaeilge nó i mBéarla, agus is féidir an t-éirchód a chur leis an seoladh a úsáidtear de ghnáth don áitreabh. Is féidir gurb é an seoladh seo an seoladh is coitianta a úsáidtear, an seoladh poist nó, agus, an seoladh geografach.

Chomh maith leis an eolas sin, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil an Roinn tiomanta comhoibriú leis an choiste agus le pobal na Gaeilge maidir le h-aon mholtaí praiticiúla a rachaidh chun tairbhe phobal na Gaeilge. Mar shampla, rinneadh uasghrádú le déanaí ar shuíomh gréasáin aimsitheoir Éirchóid atá cuiditheach. Lorgóidh an t-aimsitheoir anois na socruithe Gaeilge ar bhrabhsálaí gréasáin an úsáideora más sin rogha an úsáideora.

Chomh maith leis sin, tugann an t-aimsitheoir deis anois do lucht úsáide na Gaeilge, agus iad ar an leagan Béarla den suíomh gréasáin, eolas faoi sheoladh a fháil go dinimiciúil trí Ghaeilge. Mar shampla, má chuireann tú isteach an leagan Gaeilge den ainm, aimseoidh an gréasán an seoladh Gaeilge de réir mar atá an seoladh á chur isteach.

Mar is eol don choiste, tá tús curtha ag an Roinn le próiseas straitéiseach a stiúrfaidh an córas náisiúnta postchóid, Éirchóid, go fadtéarmach. Cé go bhfuil teorainn ar mo chumas aon socruithe conartha a phlé mar gheall ar íogaireachtaí tráchtála a bhaineann leis an gconradh reatha, ba mhaith liom na gealltanais seo a leanas a chur ar an taifead. Ar an gcéad dul síos, comhlíonfaidh an conradh nua an reachtaíocht reatha go léir lena n-áirítear Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla. Ar an dara dul síos, ní bheidh aon díghrádú ar sheirbhísí Gaeilge a chuirfidh an tseirbhís nua ar fáil, rud a chiallaíonn go leanfar leis na tacaíochtaí atá ann cheana féin a sholáthraíonn an tseirbhís reatha ó Capita, amhail fiosruithe i nGaeilge ó chustaiméirí ón bpobal a fhaightear trí ríomhphost, tríd an bpost agus trí bhealaí teileafóin chuig deasc thacaíochta Éirchóid. Ar deireadh, cinnteofar go gcuirfidh an tseirbhís nua le beartas an Rialtais maidir leis an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn a chomhlánú.

Chun a chinntiú go mbainfear amach an dá ghealltanas thuas agus go gcuirfear an tseirbhís is fearr agus is féidir ar fáil do chainteoirí Gaeilge, beidh mo Roinn i dteagmháil go forleathan le príomhpháirtithe leasmhara sna míonna amach romhainn. Tá mo Roinn ag tnúth le leanúint lenár gcaidreamh maidir le hobair le pobal na Gaeilge. Tá mé féin agus mo chuid comhghleacaithe sásta aon cheisteanna atá ag an choiste a fhreagairt. Tá mé féin tar éis breathnú go grinn ar na ceisteanna agus is dóigh liom go bhfuil tuilleadh gur féidir linn a dhéanamh agus go mbeimid ag déanamh machnaimh air sin agus muid ag réiteach don chonradh nua. Beidh sé an-tairbheach tuairimí bhaill an choiste a fháil ar na ceisteanna seo. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.

Go raibh míle maith agat. Bogaimid ar aghaidh anois go dtí ceisteanna ó na comhaltaí i dtús báire.

Táimid ag cíoradh na gceisteanna seo le tamall de bhlianta anuas agus tá roinnt dul chun cinn déanta ach is léir ón méid a dúirt Feargal Ó Coigligh gur féidir tuilleadh a dhéanamh. Luaigh sé amhlaidh nuair a bhí sé ag cur críoch lena chur i láthair. Cad é an “tuilleadh” gur féidir a dhéanamh ó thaobh na Roinne de?

Ní féidir liom freagraí a thabhairt ar na ceisteanna atá curtha agam féin go dtí seo. Braitheann sé ar an chomhthéacs. Tá seoladh poist ann ó An Post, tá na seoltaí atá sa Logeolaire, sa GeoDirectory, agus an úsáid tráchtála a bhaintear as an bhunachar sin, agus tá córas Éirchóid ann. Tá an córas Éirchóid curtha ar bun ag an Stát tríd an Roinn agus is mar sin a fheiceann an pobal na seoltaí. Is léir go bhfuil an-dul chun cinn ó thaobh na seoltaí Gaeilge ach tá sé feicthe agam féin inniu, má chuireann tú isteach seoladh nó cód poist sa Ghaeltacht, seans go bhfeicfidh tú ar an chéad líne an logainm i mBéarla. Má roghnaíonn tú an seoladh, tiocfaidh sé aníos i nGaeilge. Tá fadhb ansin go bhfuil córas atá curtha ar bun ag an Stát, cé go bhfuil sé curtha ar fáil ag comhlacht príobháideach, ag taispeáint an logainm Béarla d’áit atá sa Ghaeltacht sa chomhthéacs sin. Caithfimid breathnú air sin.

Caithfimid smaoineamh fosta go bhfuil sé seo casta. Chonaic muid, nuair a tugadh na horduithe logainmneacha isteach, go raibh conspóid sa Daingean faoi úsáid ainm an bhaile sin i mBéarla, agus tá na ceisteanna sin fós ámharach sa chás sin. Tá go leor de chathair na Gaillimhe sa Ghaeltacht. Bhí cónaí orm féin i dTír Oileáin. Is sa Ghaeltacht atá Tír Oileáin. An gcuirimid isteach córas nach féidir ach ainm Gaeilge a thaispeáint do dhaoine atá ina gcónaí ann nó an mbeidh teacht ag daoine ar leagan Béarla den ainm sin? Is iad sin cuid de na ceisteanna atá le plé agus sílim go bhfuil tuilleadh gur féidir linn a dhéanamh.

Tá tab ann, agus nuair a chuireann tú seoladh isteach an default atá aige - is cuma cén áit sa tír ina bhfuil tú - tagann sé suas i mBéarla. Bíonn ort an tab Gaeilge a bhrú. An mbeadh sé i gceist i gceantair Ghaeltachta go mbeadh sé mar default iad a bheith i nGaeilge agus an tab Béarla in aice leis?

Tá sé cineál mar sin cheana féin. Bhí mé á thriail ar maidin. Má chuireann tú isteach cód poist sa Ghaeltacht, mar shampla, mar a rinne mé ar maidin do cheanncheathrú Údarás na Gaeltachta sna Doirí Beaga, an rud a tháinig aníos ná “Údarás na Gaeltachta, eastáit tionsclaíochta Derrybeg”. Rinne mé seo ar an laptop san oifig. Bhrú mé ar aghaidh agus tháinig “Na Dóirí Beag, Contae Dhún na nGall” amach, rud a bhí ceart. Ní raibh orm an leagan Gaeilge a roghnú. Tháinig sé aníos i nGaeilge ach bhí an chéad rud a tháinig aníos i mBéarla agus ní dóigh liom go bhfuil sé sin oiriúnach.

Tá ceist agam ar Cyril McGrane faoi conas is féidir tabhairt faoi sin. I roinnt cásanna, is an t-eolas atá GeoDirectory ag soláthar d’Éirchód atá míchruinn, mar shampla, i gcás teidil. Má théann tú isteach ag lorg scoil náisiúnta Bhaile an Fheirtéaraigh i gContae Chiarraí, gheobhaidh tú “Ballyferriter National School, Baile an Fheirtéaraigh”. Má bhrúnn tú ar an gcnaipe Gaeilge, tá sé fós mar “Ballyferriter National School”. An bunlocht ná pé bealach a chuireadh na sonraí isteach ar an gcéad dul síos. An é sin a thug an Roinn oideachais, fear an phoist áitiúil nó Logainm do GeoDirectory? Tá roinnt rudaí i gceart, ach níl aon chóras ríomhaireachta ach chomh maith leis an data a chuireann tú isteach ann. Má tá an data lochtach, caithfidh muid bealach a fháil thar na blianta go n-aithnítear é sin agus má tá fadhb ann, seachas bheith ag gearán, go bhfuil bealach againn é sin a cheartú.

Luaim rud amháin eile. Ba mhaith liom beagáinín níos mó a fháil amach faoin gcur chuige a bhíonn ag fir agus mná poist agus iad ag teacht ar na leaganacha Gaeilge nó Béarla de na seoltaí. Faighim teachtaireachtaí ó mo bhean chéile atá ag obair in An Post agus í ag lorg an Béarla ar leagan Gaeilge de logainm faoi leith i mBaile Átha Cliath. Níl na leaids nó na mná a bhíonn ag seachadadh an post ar an eolas. Measaim i mBaile Átha Cliath nach ndéanann siad na seoltaí, ainmneacha na bóithre nó fiú na heastáit nua a bhailiú mar níl teacht acu orthu chomh tapa sin. Conas is féidir linn déileáil leis sin? Tá foireann mhór ag An Post a d’fhéadfadh an obair seo a dhéanamh chun cur leis an database cuibheasach tapa mura bhfuil sé déanta cheana féin.

I will hand over to Dara Keogh in a moment in GeoDirectory on this and on our use of Logainm and its expertise in that regard. From the operations point of view, across our mail centres and our delivery service units we are finding more and more, as I said in my opening speech, that not only are people from an Irish background or an English-speaking background but they are actually multicultural and Irish or English may not be their first language. However, the knowledge transfer between local delivery service units has forever served us well. Along with all the information Dara will elaborate on that we use as source data, there is a huge knowledge base within every delivery service unit across the country. We always ask who people would trust. Would they trust an agent coming to deliver a random item, letter, parcel or piece of e-commerce at their door, or would their trust their postman or postwoman? The postman or postwoman has a direct relationship with practically everybody on their route. They know when it is somebody’s birthday, breithlá or whatever. They know everything about them in that regard. We take enormous pride in our ability to deliver to 2.3 million address points across the nation five days a week across 4,200 delivery routes and that we constantly do that.

There is knowledge transfer within offices as older staff retire and newer staff come on board. I will hand over to Mr. Keogh to deal with the second part.

To step back a little bit and look at the question at the top level, the collection of address data is multifaceted. There is not just a single source. An Post and Tailte Éireann are both sources. GeoDirectory is the result of combining the two. We also rely on the local knowledge of An Post delivery staff to a large extent, in addition to the official signs on roads, streets and squares. We call them "thoroughfares" as a general cover. We rely on the official plates that are put up to capture that information on an ongoing basis. The Deputy may have noticed that in Mr. McGrane's introductory remarks, he said that 500,000 changes are made to the database of 2.4 million addresses every year. That gives a sense of the level of ongoing change. With a manual collection process, there can be errors. We do correct errors. We have a process to do that where they occur. We obviously apologise for those.

On the Irish translations, everybody has talked about Logainm. We use that all the time. We look up its website and have feeds coming in from it on ongoing basis. We capture that. That has been very successful. It has been progressive and has helped us not only in Gaeltacht areas but also in having all addresses and address elements across the whole country in Irish. For us, the structure is county, town, townland, what we call a thoroughfare or road, and then other parts of the address. For example, a group or collection of buildings might have a name. We translate them ourselves as best we can and include them in the database, actively putting as much of the address as we think we can in Irish. That is not just in the Gaeltacht areas but across the whole country.

We see this as an ongoing continuous project. There are going to be new builds. We all hope for more new builds, which aligns with Government policy. That will result in more new addresses and more work in this space. It is a job we are delighted to do and something we are delighted to be part of. We feel we are making very good progress. In response to everybody's comments, we can always do a little better. We continue to try to do that.

An ndéanann na húdaráis áitiúla na hainmneacha ar eastáit nua a roinnt le GeoDirectory sula n-osclaítear iad? I mBaile Átha Cliath, tá coiste ag an údarás áitiúil a dhéanann an t-ainmniú sin, i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla. An gcuideodh sé sin le GeoDirectory, fiú sula mbeadh an t-eastát oscailte?

Sometimes it is shared in advance. Sometimes we do not get it until it is started. It happens in different phases. We do not know about every building every time. However, that is done for the larger estates. For smaller one-off housing, it might not happen until it is started. There are different types of projects. The larger the project, the more likely we are to find about it faster. The smaller the project, the harder it is to find. However, we do find them because people want eircodes and so come to us and let us know. The translation process is part of that. As everybody here knows and as has been referred to already, there are complications in the translation process because names have a contextual and historical context that has to be borne in mind. Within the GeoDirectory database, we have an official qualified translation and one we have attempted ourselves. We flag to our customers which is which. If there is no official translation but we think we can put something in place that could be correct, we include that to give everybody the option to use as much Irish as possible.

Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil a fhios ag an bpobal cé chomh casta is atá sé ainmneacha nua a chur ar áiteanna agus an teideal ná an seoladh ceart a úsáid. Tá ceist amháin agam. Dúirt Dara Keogh go mbaineann GeoDirectory úsáid as Logainm. Tá ábhar imní amháin ann dom. Feicim é sin i mo chathair féin, cathair na Gaillimhe. Tá imní orm go bhfuilimid ag cailleadh na seanteidil a bhí ar áiteanna, na townland names. Ní úsáidtear na hainmneacha céanna agus a bhí in úsáid ar léarscáileanna cheana. Tabharfaidh mé sampla amháin do na finnéithe. In iarthar chathair na Gaillimhe, tá ceantar mór a tugtar "Cnoc na Cathrach" air. Is ceantar ollmhór é. Tá go leor townlands difriúla sa cheantar sin. Is ón oidhreacht a dtagann ainmneacha na townlands ach níl siad in úsáid a thuilleadh. Tá an imní sin orm. Tá cónaí orm féin i Rathún ach ní úsáideann éinne an seoladh sin. Nuair a chuardaím mo éirchód, is "Cnoc na Cathrach" atá ann in éineacht leis. Is townland thar a bheith difriúil é sin. Tá sé ar an taobh eile den pharóiste agus bhí sé mar townland é féin blianta ó shin ach anois tá an teideal sin ar an gceantar ar fad. Tá imní orm go bhfuilimid ag cailleadh rud éigin agus ag cailleadh ár n-oidhreachta. Tagann na hainmneacha sin, na townland names, ó stair an cheantair. Tá an imní sin orm. An bhfuil éinne in ann an cheist sin a fhreagairt?

In GeoDirectory, we record all localities or townlands. We have all of them. I cannot remember the exact number but we have all of them and we have versions of them all as Gaeilge. They do exist. Within the database, we can construct an address, which is what most people use, but the option is there for you to construct it your own way. Anybody who uses GeoDirectory has the option of following what we recommend or following their own methodology. That is required because an organisation's database might only have so many fields. We might say an address is eight fields long when the organisation only has four so it has to be able to construct an address according to its needs. We have all the localities. They are all in the database. We have translations of as many as Logainm has translated. It is still working on a few counties, including Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal. A lot of the others are done. With regard to context and the Irish language, as the Deputy has rightly said, there is rich history associated with placenames. That can result in slightly different translations and different spellings. While a placename can be translated into Irish, that can be changed retrospectively. We have a process to capture such changes. We are actively trying to get better all of the time. There is always more you can do and improve on but it is not the case that we are hoping things happen. We are trying to make things work.

An bhfuil aon ról ag an údarás áitiúil sa phróiseas?

Yes, the local authority has control over the address. As I understand it, it assigns and approves addresses as part of the planning process. It has a role in respect of the address element.

An mbaineann an ról atá ag an údarás le hainmneacha eastáit ná foirgnimh nua amháin?

I am not an expert in this space but, as far as I understand it, if people living in a housing estate want to change the name of that estate, the names of the roads or the numbering system, they go through the local authority to change the planning. The local authority has an input into that.

Ní bhaineann sé seo le mo chuid feidhmeanna reatha ach tharla go raibh mé ag obair sa Roinn tithíochta agus pleanála so tá tuiscint éigin agam ar na dlíthe. Faoin gcóras pleanála, nuair atá áit ná foirgnimh nua á thógáil, tá ról ag an údarás pleanála. Is féidir leis coinníollacha a chur ar an gcead pleanála maidir le hainmneacha. Is é sin an rud a luaigh an Teachta Ó Snodaigh agus é ag caint faoin gcoiste i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tá Gaillimh an-mhaith ó thaobh ainmneacha na n-áiteanna. Caithfidh go bhfuil struchtúr éigin i gcathair na Gaillimhe ina leith sin. Nuair atá eastáit ná foirgnimh nua á dtógáil, tá ról ag an údarás áitiúil. Ó thaobh ainmneacha sráideanna, mar a dúirt mo chomhghleacaí, nuair atá ainm le hathrú, is faoi dhlíthe an rialtais áitiúil a dhéantar é sin. Arís, tá ról ag an údarás áitiúil. Ó thaobh na seanainmneacha traidisiúnta a bhí breactha síos ag an Ordnance Survey 200 bliain ó shin, seachas dul tríd an mbealach sin faoi dhlí rialtas áitiúil, ní dóigh liom go bhféadfaí na hainmneacha sin a athrú.

Nuair a mholtar do dhream nó comhlacht gur ainm nó teideal feiliúnach dá fhorbairt é ainm éigin, ní chuirtear riachtanas air an logainm a úsáid.

Is ról do na húdaráis áitiúla é sin. Tá saoirse acu é sin a dhéanamh.

Tá ceist agam maidir leis an aistriúchán a dhéantar ar sheoltaí Béarla, go háirithe in eastáit nua. Tá an-chuid eastáit tithíochta nua á dtógáil i mo cheantar féin agus i gceantar an Leas-Chathaoirligh. Níl cuid de na haistriúcháin i gceart. Is é Foxford, eastát i mo cheantar féin, ceann de na cinn is fearr liom. Is é Béal Easa an t-aistriúchán. Tá sé sin i gceart mar is é sin an t-ainm atá ar an mbaile sin i gContae Mhaigh Eo ach ní hé sin an fáth gur tugadh "Foxford" ar an eastát tithíochta sin. Cén sórt monatóireachta a dhéantar ar na haistriúcháin sin? Tá cúpla sampla feicthe agam nach rachainn féin leo. Ag eascairt as sin, an bhfuil aon ról ag GeoDirectory, An Post ná an Roinn i leith litriú na seoltaí nuair a chuirtear ar chomharthaí bóthair agus a leithéid iad? B'fhéidir gur cheist don Roinn Iompair é sin. Tá cúpla pet hates agam ina leith sin freisin. An bhfreagróidh na finnéithe an cheist sin faoi aistriúchán ainmneacha ceantair agus eastáit nua?

In terms of the translation of the names of new housing estates and the new thoroughfares or streets around them, where translations are available from local authority signage on the road or from Logainm, we take those translations. If no translations are available, we make our best attempt at translating the name based on other places that have the same name. Again, we accept that the historical context can change the spelling. In the database, we flag to our customers that it is our best attempt rather than an official translation. What was the second question? I have forgotten.

Bhain sé le litriú logainmneacha ar chomharthaí bóthair. B'fhéidir go dtagann sé sin faoin Roinn Iompair seachas faoi na finnéithe ach tógtar an litriú sin ó áit éigin.

The spelling on the signage comes from the local authorities.

Tá cúpla ceist agam. Gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe as teacht anseo inniu. Táimid an-bhuíoch díobh. Tá ceist agam ó thaobh GeoDirectory. Tuigim go bhfuil a thuilleadh daoine ag teacht chuig an tír agus go bhfuil níos mó daoine gan Ghaeilge agus gan Bhéarla ag obair le GeoDirectory. Luaigh an Teachta Ó Snodaigh é seo níos luaithe. Baineann sé sin leis An Post chomh maith. An bhfuil aon sórt ceachtanna nó traenáil ar fáil dóibh siúd nach bhfuil Gaeilge líofa ná Gaeilge ar bith acu nach dtuigeann rudaí ar nós "Bóthar rud éigin" nó "Céide rud éigin"? Mar aon leis sin, an bhfuil aon sórt master cheat card ann a deireann "Céide an Laidhrín equals Lyreen Drive", "Drive means céide" or that type of thing?

It is a very good question. We certainly do run Irish courses within the workplace. When I had the joy of being the plant manager for the largest mail centre, I promoted a 20-week Irish course. There had always been experts in the mail centre going way back, but newer entrants did not have the cúpla focal. I joined with the staff in that weekly session for 20 weeks. That was followed with the TEG in Maynooth to get an accreditation, which was a sort of extra bonus for having done the course. We try to do those things to transfer that knowledge and promote the Irish language as best we can. We see ourselves continuing to do that as an aid. It is obviously not a guarantee but it is something we can and are happy to do.

Tá sé sin iontach ó thaobh an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn agus go háirithe ó thaobh a bheith ag obair le TEG. Bhí ionadaithe TEG os ár gcomhair cúpla seachtain ó shin. Táim féin lonnaithe i Maigh Nuad. Is as Maigh Nuad dom féin. Is í an cheist atá agam ná conas is féidir níos mó a dhéanamh go praiticiúil seachas ó thaobh an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn. An bhfuil aon rud á dhéanamh ag na finnéithe go praiticiúil chun cabhrú leo siúd nach bhfuil Gaeilge acu? B'fhéidir gur smaoineamh nua é seo. Táim ag caint faoi rud a deireann "Céide equals drive" nó "Páirc equals park" chun go mbeadh sé níos éasca do dhaoine atá ag obair don eagraíocht. An ndéanann sé sin ciall?

It does make sense. We have to get into how we do things and the technical side. It is a process. There is a whole rulebook around capturing addresses, which includes the Irish-language piece. There is a whole set of rules that must be followed. Our people do not just go out and capture addresses the way they want to. There are a whole set of rules that have to be followed. Standard operating procedures are laid down. This includes how to capture Irish addresses. We do not want anybody making up either the English or the Irish address. They just have to take what is on the signage or what delivery staff tell them is the spelling people actually use. That is how it is captured.

With regard to doing translations ourselves, we have somebody who is fairly familiar with the Irish language who looks at names and tries to translate them. That is how that piece is done. However, on the data capture side, there is a manual of processes laid down as to what needs to be done and how to do it. I do not have the detail here with me today but there is a whole process around that. It is a good question. There is a process around it.

Tá sé sin all right. Tá sé sin togha. Lena bheith soiléir, tá an dualgas ar an gcomhairle contae obair le tógálaithe na n-eastát tithíochta nua chun ainmneacha a thabhairt dóibh. Bhí mise ar Chomhairle Contae Chill Dara agus bhí polasaí ann ag an am go gcaithfidh ceangal staire nó ceangal éigin eile leis an gceantar a bheith ag ainmneacha eastáit nua. Tá sé feicthe againn ó na seachtóidí agus na hochtóidí the amount of Parklands and Beech Parks a bhí ann, ainmneacha nach raibh aon cheangal acu leis an gceantar. Tá sé i bhfad níos deacra Gaeilge a chur orthu siúd mar ní dhéanann siad ciall agus níl ceangal acu leis an gceantar.

Ag bogadh ar aghaidh go dtí an córas Eircode, tá an córas sin ag obair go hiontach anois trí Bhéarla agus, i gcásanna éagsúla, trí Ghaeilge chomh maith. Caithfidh mé é sin a admháil. Tuigim an deacracht agus an fáth nach bhfuil na hainmneacha Gaeilge ar fad ann. Chuir mise an éirchód atá agam sa bhaile istigh san uirlis cúpla nóiméad ó shin. Nílim chun mo sheoladh a thabhairt amach. An t-aon rud a d'aistrigh an córas ná "Maynooth" go "Maigh Nuad" agus "County Kildare" go "Contae Chill Dara". Ní thabharfaidh mé an uimhir ach is é "Céide an Laidhrín" an Ghaeilge le haghaidh "Lyreen Drive". Níl aon Ghaeilge ar "Mariavilla". Is seancheantar a bhí ann é. Tá "Céide an Laidhrín" ar fáil. Tá sé ar na comharthaí bóthair. Is é sin an seoladh a úsáidim féin an t-am ar fad le gach rud. Cén fáth nach bhfuil an Ghaeilge ar fáil ansin? Is rud iontach é go bhfuil sé ag aistriú "Maynooth" go "Maigh Nuad" agus "Kildare" go "Cill Dara" ach cén fáth nach bhfuil sé ag aistriú an phríomhchuid, "Céide an Laidhrín", fiú go bhfuil sé ann agus in úsáid?

B'fhéidir gur cheist í seo do An Post mar tagann an t-eolas Eircode isteach ó GeoDirectory. Níl a fhios agam sa chás sin. Bhí mé féin ag breathnú ar mo sheoladh féin agus tá an seoladh iomlán aistrithe go Gaeilge. Is i gContae Lú a bhfuil cónaí orm. Bhí gach rud as Gaeilge fiú ainm nach bhfuil scríofa ar aon chomhartha bóthair nach ainm bhaile fearainn é.

Úsáideadh eolas áitiúil éigin ansin chun an t-ainm a aistriú agus bhí sé déanta go cruinn. Sin an t-eolas atá agam féin. B'fhéidir go bhfuil eolas níos fearr ag mo chomhghleacaí.

When Eircode looks up the databases, it uses the GeoDirectory database. It directly picks up whathever tables and addresses are in that database. It does not modify or change the address; it reads directly from the table.

Níl aon aistriúchán ag tarlúint ar chor ar bith. Tá sé díreach ag tabhairt an t-eolas atá ar fáil ar GeoDirectory.

Correct.

Tá an ceart agam, okay. An bhfuil an teicneolaíocht ag GeoDirectory go mbeadh an t-ainm ar fáil i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge?

Yes, if we have it in Irish we can display it both in Irish and English at the same time. In GeoDirectory, we have four databases. There is an English and an Irish postal address, and an English and an Irish geographic address. We share that with all of our customer base and the customer can pick which format and language of the address they wish to use.

Cén fáth go bhfuil sé ar fáil i nGaeilge d'Fheargal Ó Coigligh ach nach bhfuil sé ar fáil i nGaeilge domsa?

I would have to look up the address and check and come back with an answer. I do not know off the top of my head. If the street name is recorded in Irish, it should be in the database in Irish.

Ní ceist pearsanta é; is ceist níos mó atá ann. Má tá sé ag tarlúint domsa, deirim go bhfuil sé ag tarlúint do dhaoine eile chomh maith. Conas gur féidir linn bogadh go dtí áit go bhfuil sé ar fáil trí Ghaeilge do gach duine a bhfuil sé ag teastáil uathu? How do we get to that point?

We have to make sure that everywhere we have the thoroughfare information - the road, street or court, etc. - is in Irish where it is available on the road signs and captured correctly in the database.

An bhfuil bealach ag An Post chun athbhreithniú éigin a dhéanamh air sin?

We can review and analyse the database and see how many are in Irish, how many are in English, and what is missing. We do that as part of our work to go out and recheck, revisit and gather the information. That happens on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

Tá mé sa teach sin le cúig bliana anuas, agus níl sé athraithe. Tuigim go sleamhnaíonn rudaí anois is arís. Bogfaimid ar aghaidh go dtí an Teachta Ó Snodaigh.

Tháinig roinnt de seo chun cinn ar an gcéad dul síos toisc go raibh gearán déanta leis an gCoimisinéir Teanga. Mar thoradh ar an ngearán sin, dúirt an coimisinéir nach raibh Eircode ag cloí go huile is go hiomlán le pé forálacha a bhí i gceist - glacaim leis gur Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla a bhí i gceist ag an am. Tá sé ráite ag An Post go gcreideann sé go bhfuil sé ag cloí leis na forálacha sin anois. Mar a dúirt Dara Keogh, tá sé seo casta uaireanta. I gceantair Ghaeltachta is é an seoladh Gaeilge amháin atá an Stát in ainmneas a úsáid, mar sin an seoladh atá ann, ach má théann tú isteach in Eircode d’fhéadfá teacht ar sheoladh i mBéarla nó i nGaeilge. Tá sé sin ag teacht salach ar an treoir atá ann nár chóir go mbeadh muid ag aistriú seoltaí Gaeltachta go dtí Béarla. An bhfuil An Post cinnte go bhfuil Eircode ag cloí leis an méid a dúirt an Coimisinéir Teanga ina thuairisc trí nó ceithre bliana ó shin, nó b'fhéidir níos faide ag an staid seo?

Tá Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla srianta ó thaobh ainmneacha nó logainmneacha de; sé sin go gcaithfear an t-ainm nó an logainm Ghaeilge a úsáid ar ócáidí faoi leith, mar shampla ar léarscáileanna nó ar chomharthaí bóithre. Ní chlúdaíonn sé go beacht na cúinsí atá i gceist maidir le seoltaí. Tugadh isteach an córas éirchód mar nach bhfuil córas seoltaí oifigiúil againn, ar bhealach, sa Stát seo. An chomhairle a fuair an Roinn nó nach bhfuil muid ag sárú an dlí sin, agus ní dóigh liom go bhfuil, ó thaobh forálacha beachta an dlí, ach tá ceist ann ó thaobh an prionsabal atá i gceist; sé sin, go mbeidh seoltaí, ainmneacha agus logainmneacha sa Ghaeltacht i nGaeilge. Tá níos mó oibre le déanamh againn sa chás sin. Tá go leor dul chun cinn déanta ach tá tuilleadh le déanamh againn. Is é sin an pointe a bhí á dhéanamh agam níos luaithe. Ní hé go bhfuil an dlí á shárú ó thaobh an chomhairle a fuair muid, ach tá tuilleadh le déanamh chun go mbeimid ag cloí leis na prionsabail atá léirithe san Acht teanga.

An bhfuil aon cheist eile? Níl. Cuirfimid clabhsúr leis an seisiún seo. Gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe as ucht bheith linn inniu.