Letters to senior Officials of the Department of Communications in January 2021 raising the issue with them and asking that warnings be applied to Public Service Announcements were not successful. They chose not to tell anyone about the issue which can be easily resolved if people are made aware.

As a result, people are still taken by surprise as a result of Eircode mis-routing and are unaware that it can be resolved to everyone's benefit. This article explains the issue and this page explains how to identify and resolve it

Firstly, to understand this issue, you must understand that electronic navigation systems will route to a point on the suitably mapped road nearest to the location of the chosen destination. This is the case for ALL electronic navigation systems whether using Google Maps, Apple Maps, Here Maps in Garmin devices or any other maps in any other electronic navigation systems. Those who are experienced in Navigation & Satellite Navigation (SatNav) will be familiar with this issue which is well understood for many years. It is not a new phenomenon and it existed well before Eircode was conceived.
The example we will take from Eircode Finder is as follows:

As many people are familiar with Google Maps, lets look at it there but we are going to use the Loc8 Code point8 app so we can show how Eircode mis-routing can be easily solved using a Loc8 Code. Loc8 Code is fully supported by the National Ambulance Service (NAS) side by side with Eircode. The app also allows you to easily check for mis-routing with your Eircode. To do this yourself go to www.loc8.ie/point8, use the drop down box at the top left to select the Eircode option & then enter Eircode A96 PX46 to see the location on the map as shown below:-

From the satellite imagery you will note that the entrance to the property is as marked with the yellow "X" on Glenalua Road;- Glenalua Road being part of the postal address for the property.
If your device has identified your own location, then you can now click on the "Route" menu option on the point8 app. You will see a blue line showing the route to the East (Right) of the property. You can zoom out to see more of the proposed route.  You are only interested in the last few hundred metres or so.

You will note that the proposed route brings you to a different property, with a different Eircode, a different address and with access from a different road.

So, in this case, an ambulance (or CFR) would be routed to the wrong property, approximately 600m along the road from the correct address. This would also be the case for anyone else trying to find the property, and it maybe the reason if parcel deliveries are being dropped at the wrong house.

Looking at the map from overhead, as we are, it is of course easy to spot the issue and then resolve it. However, put yourself in the position of paramedics in an ambulance trying to get to a patient on a dark Irish winter's night. Their destination has been sent by Control to their Data Terminal (Communications, GPS, Mapping & Navigation). Their focus is on getting to the destination to administer medical assistance and they mostly are not aware of the potential for this mis-routing to happen or what causes it.  In daylight, this next image is what they would be looking at as they approach;- a cluster of houses with an instruction from their navigation device that their destination is close ahead or that they have already arrived, but neither is the case.

At night time, there would be very little illumination, confusion as there is no one to meet them and a reticence to knock on doors because of the late hour. There is no direct connection between this location & the patient's property. The automatic assumption is that either the Eircode was wrong or there is a map error.  What follows next, is a series of calls to ambulance control, calls to the the patient (if conscious or if there is someone with the patient) and, eventually & hopefully, verbal directions to the correct house. The ambulance will have been delayed with associated risk to the patient.

This example is in an urban area, but if in a rural area at night the mis-routing & delay could be more significant and a life could be at risk as is suggested in the tweet below (unrelated to our Eircode example) from a member of the public just a few weeks ago.

As stated earlier, all navigation systems will provide a routing solution to the point on the suitably mapped road nearest to the location of the selected destination point. In the case of Eircode P46 PX46, that point on the nearest suitably mapped road is 38metres away;- thereby causing a routing solution  via a different property, a different address and a different road from which there is no access.

Whilst, this example is being presented to you using Google Maps, the issue would be same in other electronic map/navigation systems if they have the same mapped road features. Most are very much the same nowadays but with some variations. This is an issue well known to those who are experienced in electronic navigation and it is something that an expert in the field would have ensured was addressed in designing a modern postcode system. As Eircode was designed without the involvement of consultants with navigation expertise and without consideration of navigation design requirements in the design document published in May 2014 by Capita PLC, the design does not take into consideration how this known issue could be resolved. In fact, neither the contract for Eircode nor the design specification mentions either navigation or emergency response (ambulances or other) and, therefore,  there was no responsibility on those involved to consider the related requirements. Autoaddress, which was a contractor involved in the delivery of Eircode, has recognised that Eircode mis-routing does occur but wrongly claims that it cannot affect ambulances.  They claim that this is because the Ambulance Service uses Ordnance Survey Mapping. This is only partly true. They do indeed use Ordnance Survey Mapping on their computer systems in their National Control Centre where emergency calls are taken and locations are visualised by operators. However, Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping does not have the "attribute" or "meta" data necessary to help generate electronic routing solutions, so when an ambulance generates routes to Eircode destinations, it is not using OS mapping. Therefore, ambulances are indeed vulnerable to mis-routing as demonstrated in this article. We can only deduce that because Autoaddress personnel are not familiar with navigation technology, they have misunderstood the facts in this case.

Furthermore, as the applications of navigation or emergency response were not considered in the design specification for the National Postcode, the locations to be used for each Eircode were taken to be those already in use with An Post's GeoDirectory. GeoDirectory was designed for address and property identification and, therefore, uses locations which point to buildings. When it comes to navigation, access points from roads are often of more interest than the actual location of a building itself. Since Eircode is now mostly used for navigation, this can be considered as a design oversight and, because An Post will not allow the locations from GeoDirectory to be altered, this means that moving the locations used for Eircodes cannot be adopted as a solution. For this reason, Eircode will cause and continue to be susceptible to mis-routing. This issue was identified well before Eircode was rolled out in evidence to an Oireachtas Committee in June 2015. (see Page 14, Para 6.h. & other references in the document) It has also been frequently reported on social media.

When designing a piece of national infrastructure which has to be used with multiple mapping solutions, by many people with different capabilities and for many applications with multiple design requirements, it has to be as flexible as possible to meet all these needs. However, as stated above, Eircode was not designed either for navigation or emergency response. To redress that issue now there are multiple possibilities. Most would take a long time, would not be practical, may not be applied consistently, could not be done by the public themselves and none would be 100% reliable or satisfactory.

However, the National Ambulance Service fully integrated Loc8 Code into its control Mapping and ambulance navigation systems during 2017 so that it is supported since then, side-by-side with Eircode. To be clear about his, Loc8 Code is coded by programmers into the applications that controllers use in National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). They do not use external applications for Loc8 Code and have access to the Loc8 coding to implement it in any of the systems they use as required. Unlike Eircode, Loc8 Code can be generated by anyone (including ambulance controllers) for any location so it can be used to generate a location which can be used by an ambulance (or CFR) to avoid Eircode mis-routing where that problem exists.

Taking our example of Eircode A96 RX46 and using it again in the point8 app, it is a simple issue to generate a suitable Loc8 Code at the access point, prove it by creating a route, adjust as necessary until mis-routing is avoided and then use that Loc8 Code when calling the ambulance service.

By clicking on a location along the driveway just inside the access from the Glenalua Road (a few metres inside), the Loc8 Code NL3-94-55D is easily generated and clicking on the "Route" menu option confirms that the routing solution will bring an ambulance, CFR or any other vehicle, directly to the right road and right access point.

This Loc8 Code should be saved and displayed on a sign inside a property for all to access in case of an emergency. It may be necessary also for someone to check & generate the code as shown here for those who are unable to do so themselves. Guidelines for making signs are given here on our site

Since 2016, Eircode has been regularly broadcasting an advert via RTE advising people to use an Eircode if they are calling an ambulance. They are, therefore, encouraging it's use for life saving. In the case of the Eircode used as an example here (A96 PX46), we have established that mis-routing and associated potential delays for an ambulance are caused. However, if you type the address "Knockbo, Glenalue Road, Killiney, Co Dublin" directly into Google Maps, because the road name is in the address, the navigation solution will bring the user via Glenalua Road very close to the correct access point. Therefore, by using the Eircode, the routing solution is actually made worse;- exactly as highlighted by this member of the public in a tweet last year (unrelated to the example used in this article)

This is not only a potential problem for ambulances, it is also a problem for Community First Responders (CFR's) who are encouraged to use Eircode when responding as instructed by the ambulance service. Of course Eircode is a significant benefit and should be used where available & functional but, as this article explains, because of its design it can cause problems and, in some cases, the problems would not exist at all if the original address was used in the first place.

For this reason, as there is a potential for Eircode to make things worse than they would be without it, any advertising to encourage its use MUST include warnings that codes should be checked and information about how that can be done should be given. The Public could be directed to the Guide on this website

Since it is publicly recognised by by Autoaddress, who were involved in delivering Eircode, that it can cause mis-routing; since there is evidence that Minsters involved have been made aware of the issue and, since there are many examples on social media of both ambulances and other vehicles being mis-routed by Eircode;- the problem and its potential to cause delay in the delivery of critical medical care in some cases cannot be disputed. Furthermore, since the solution to this issue is relatively simple, is already implemented by the ambulance service and can be undertaken by many on their own behalf or for others using Guidelines on this website, it could easily be considered negligent for related warnings not to be publicised.

Since the advert states that using an Eircode when calling the National Ambulance Service "May help", it should also state that, as shown in the example used in this article, it may also not help and actually can make things worse. That should also be made clear. Prior to the advent of Eircode, paramedics driving ambulances and CFR's had to deal with addresses and directions. This was a far from perfect system but elements of related procedures ensured that there was a constant awareness of the address, thee route and location. Over reliance on Eircode, without suitable warnings about its limitations, can cause a reduction in situational awareness and those involved should be trained to adjust their practices to compensate for this. Professional training for Navigation with electronic devices has always warned against over-reliance and the need to have an awareness of the full journey plan and locations/landmarks with associated clues on the way. No such training has been delivered to courier or transport drivers using Eircode & it is hoped that paramedics & CFR's are getting related professional support.

In the meantime, there is a duty of care for those behind the Eircode ambulance advert currently being broadcast by RTE as a Public Service Announcement (PSA), to take ownership of these issues and ensure that suitable warnings and supporting information are also included.

All of Ministers for Communication, their Officials & those involved in supporting Eircode are aware that the code can mis-route and cause delay. To date, they all have chosen not to warn the public and, as a result, Eircode can contribute to delays in delivering critical care to patients as shown in the tweet above. Because Eircode is promoted as being precise without any hint of this not being the case in some circumstances & cases, then those who use it in order to help save lives can become over reliant on its capability. Such over reliance can result in time delays that may not have otherwise happened.

It is for this reason that all those who are involved in Eircode, from the Minister right down to resellers, MUST be honest about limitations;- and, in particular, the potential for mis-routing. All that they  have to do is refer people to this website & tell them to check their code.  If mis-routing happens, then generating a Loc8 Code at a suitable location & using that when having to call the emergency services is all that is needed to resolve the issue.

For the last number of years Capita, through the Dept of Communications, has arranged for their Eircode ambulance advert to be broadcast as a Public Service Announcement on RTE. It normally happens around January to March each year. If it is a genuine Public Service Announcement as claimed, then it should be no problem for a warning to be included advising the Public to check their code before thy have to rely on it in an emergency. If this is not done, then there could be a legitimate claim of contributory negligence leveled against all those involved in the advert (Capita, the Dept of Communications & its Minister), if a known Eircode issue causes a delay & puts someone's life at risk. The same claim could also be leveled at RTE who broadcast it at the Public's expense.

Minister Eamon Ryan must now instruct that a warning be added to the Eircode ambulance advert before it is broadcast again as a Public Service Announcement in 2021.

 After related negotiations & agreement, in 2016, Eircode first passed the Eircode location database to Google Maps who implemented it so that you can search for an Eircode. It was then announced by those behind Eircode that Google Maps fully supports Eircode. This is not entirely true:-

• The official address information that goes with an Eircode was not shared with Google Maps (Licensing issues) As a result, when you enter an Eircode in Google Maps, the address displayed can differ greatly from the correct address. This can cause confusion, especially for tourists and visitors to your area and in some cases people abort using as they are unsure if the code is correct
• As is the norm with all Google Map content databases, they only update every 2 years or so. The last update was in June 2019 after more than 2 years and that is now just over 1 yer old. This means that new and corrected codes issued during that 2(+) year period do not make it Google Maps. At any one time 10's of 1000's of new and corrected Eircodes can be missing from Google maps.

It is regrettable that those behind Eircode do not explain this fully to the public as Google Maps themselves have made no claims in relation to the code whatsoever. It was those responsible for Eircode who negotiated and agreed the current arrangements with Google Maps. It is also regrettable that when the public realise these issues and raise them with Eircode (Capita) they are directed to Google Maps themselves to resolve them, even though Eircode knows exactly what the issues and solutions are. They seem to take no responsibility.

As more people check their code, as we recommend and support here, more and more find that their Eircode is missing from Google Maps, is pointing to the wrong location or it mis-routes.  With respect to the Eircode pointing to the wrong location people should be aware of the following:

• There are many examples of an Eircode being simply wrong or delivered to the wrong door from the outset
  
• Eircode has no process to check codes before or after delivery and that is why we offer that service here
  
• Even if the problem is identified there is no official process established for reporting or handling Eircode errors
  
• If not sorted, it could result in an ambulance at worst or courier deliveries at best going to the wrong door
  

So who should you report it to? Well if your Eircode is showing at the wrong location, the the problem is not caused by Google Maps as they just display what is given to them by Eircode. Therefore, you should report the problem to Eircode themselves. In the 1st instance you can try emailing hello@eircode.ie and if that does not get a response, as seems to happen in many cases, then the best solution is to contact your local TD.
If Eircode accpet your corrcetion, then it can take months for An Post to correct their offical records and to issue an update. However, even after those months it can take up to 2 years before Google Maps apply the update.

In the meantime you can "add a missing place" or "correct a map error" to Google Maps and just add your Eircode as if it were a word in your address. However, you should realise that if you have not contacted Eircode and the next update is applied to Google Maps, then any correction that you have achieved could be over written. It is, therefore, vital that you contact Eircode to have all errors corrected.

This is all very unsatisfactory and can cause a lot of confusion.

Eircode mis-routing has been identified as an issue since the code was 1st launched in 2014. However, the number of reports of this happening in recent months is becoming alarming. The cause of mis-routing is explained in the post here Essentially Eircode has no link or relationship with the road from which access to the property is gained and the relationship is required for a navigation system (all including Google maps) to provide accurate routing to the address.

Some mis-routing reports are related to an ambulance being sent in the wrong direction and to the wrong road and, in all cases where mis-routing has been identified, the potential for an ambulance to be delayed arriving to assist patients is a real possibility.

In emergency response, every delay is potentially life threatening. Some other reports of ambulances being mis-routed are shown here

Minister Richard Bruton TD was advised of this problem in writing during 2019 and was also asked on several occasions to amend the Eircode ambulance advert to ensure the public are advised to check their code before they have to rely on it in an emergency. Unfortunately, to date the Minister has chosen not to act.

Mis-routing is also an issue for couriers & other deliveries and if your courier is saying that you cannot be found, then mis-routing could be the cause.

Everyone should check their code and do it for those who can't by following the guide here

 There is no systematic process for checking Eircodes either when they are allocated to a building by computer or after they have been delivered in the door by a postman/woman. The tweet in the above image is one of many reports that verify this.
If you do not check your Eircode (and do it for those that cant) nobody will and, if not used for other purposes then, it could mis-route an ambulance the very first time it is used. There are several examples of Eircode mis-routing shown below.
Check your code now here

THE FOLLOWING TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY TO EIRCODES FOR AMBULANCES:

• Your code may have been mis-delivered, causing you to have a code for the wrong address
• Your code may point to the wrong location
• Your code may mis-route, causing an ambulance to be delayed (or deliveries to be missed)
  • YOUR DELIVERED CODE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CHECKED SO YOU MUST DO IT (Do it Here)
• It may take some time for new buildings to be allocated a code
• It may take some time for reported code errors to be corrected
• Only buildings where a postman/woman calls can be allocated an Eircode
• Eircodes with the correct location but which mis-route cannot be corrected by Eircode/An Post
  • IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR EIRCODE OR YOUR LOCATION HAS NONE, THEN THE AMBULANCE SERVICE HAS ALSO BEEN SUPPORTING & ACCEPTING LOC8 CODE IN ITS EMERGENCY CALL CENTRE & AMBULANCE NAVIGATION SYSTEMS FOR ANY LOCATION IN THE REPUBLIC OR NORTHERN IRELAND SINCE EARLY 2018 (Read Here)
• Codes that are not otherwise frequently used are unlikely to be remembered/recalled/known in an emergency
• Remembered codes are of no use to others if you are the one unconscious
• Other family members, co-workers, visitors & baby sitters all need quick access to your code in an emergency
• Your code will need to be validated against your address when given it in an emergency call
  • DISPLAY YOUR CODE WITH YOUR ADDRESS & OTHER INFORMATION AS NECESSARY IN PROMINENT POSITIONS AROUND YOUR HOME, FARM, WORKPLACE, BUSINESS, SHOP, SCHOOL, PLACE OF WORSHIP, PUBLIC SPACE OR RECREATION AREA FOR ALL TO HAVE ACCESS TO IN AN EMERGENCY
  • IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A CODE, YOU CAN STILL CALL THE EMERGENCY SERVICES, BUT HAVING ONE READY TO USE, PRE-CHECKED & WITH YOUR FULL ADDRESS, CAN HELP (Read Here)
  • DO ALL OF THIS FOR THOSE THAT CAN'T
    

"There are many reasons why you may have received the wrong Eircode or the one you have been given points to the wrong location,” Gary contended. “It could also misroute when used in navigation systems. No-one else has checked your code so you must, especially before you have to use it in an emergency,” he said.
Read More -/>

We are grateful to the people at Autoaddress, one of the Eircode contractors,  for confirming on their website that Eircode can send a user, including an ambulance, "hundreds of metres away from the right location".

This a phenomenon long understood by professionals in the area of road navigation. It is caused by the fact that the detail of entrances from roads to properties is often not available or up-to-date. Furthermore, there may be several entrances to a property and, for that reason, navigation systems may not know which one is the correct one. Finally, private roads inside property boundaries may not be mapped.

The end result, is that navigation systems select the nearest point on the nearest mapped road to the Eircode building location as the destination. If the building is close to the road from which access is gained, then there is unlikely to be a problem. However, if your building is some distance from the road, or if there are multiple entrances  with complicated access, then the navigation system may actually guide the user (including ambulances) to a location several hundred metres (over a kilometre in some cases) away from the correct access point.

This is not an issue that only happens when using Google Maps. It happens with all Navigation systems as the problem is a common one;- Eircode points to a building and not to an entrance. It can happen both in city and rural areas.

If this happens to your courier, the problem can be resolved with a phone call. However, if it happens during the night when an ambulance is trying to find a patient, this can be a major issue;- especially if the patient is alone and rendered unconscious.

Loc8 Code has been highlighting this issue since Eircode was rolled out in 2015. Personnel from Loc8 Code were invited to the CFR (Community First Responders) Ireland's "Respond" conference last year (2019) to explain this and other issues. In addition, those same personnel have also attended local CFR events to help with ensuring people have their Eircodes. In all cases, some members of the public and 1st responders have confirmed that mis-routing has happened to them.

This is, therefore, one of the most important reasons why people should "CHECK YOUR CODE", and do it also for those who may not be able to it for themselves. If mis-routing is the problem, then you can create a Loc8 Code yourself for a point just (2-3 metres) inside the entrance from the main road and use this when calling an ambulance. Generating a Loc8 Code is easy to do here or via the point8 app. Be sure to read the instructions we have provided on this website here before you do it and check it before you "DISPLAY YOUR CODE"

There are two other reasons why you should check your Eircode:

• It is possible that the wrong code was posted through your door
• It is possible that the code you received points to the wrong location

In both these cases you can also generate and use a Loc8 Code to resolve the issue when calling the ambulance service. 

It can also take some months before a new property is allocated an Eircode and, because of strict An Post rules, some buildings will not get an Eircode at all. In both these cases, a Loc8 Code can also be used. A Loc8 Code can be applied to ANY location across the whole island of Ireland, North & South.

We have asked the Minister for Communications, Richard Bruton TD to adjust the Eircode Ambulance Public Service Announcement which is broadcast on RTE stations to include a note to the Public that they should "CHECK YOUR CODE". Hopefully, both he and his Officials in the Department of Communications will arrange this as a mater of urgency as it really should have been included from the start.

If you have instances, of any of these issues to tell us about please add them in a comment below.

Please "CHECK YOUR CODE" NOW and do it for those who cant.

Having been adopted by Garmin in test in 2007 and formally in 2010, Loc8 Code has been successfully used for emergency planning by the HSE since 2011. It has been used also by Irish Water Safety for ringbuoys since around the same time, with Cork Co. Co, becoming the latest to employ the code for ringbuoy management, early last year.

In early 2017, the National Ambulance Service commenced preparation to fully integrate Loc8 Code into it's emergency response and ambulance navigation systems, and this became fully operational in late 2017. As a result, from Jan of 2018 the National Ambulance Service has been supporting both Eircode and Loc8 Code in its systems.  Eircode is for postal addresses and Loc8 Code is for non-postal addresses and where an Eircode is not available or not functioning correctly.

Separately, Loc8 Code's experienced navigation personnel have been highlighting for several years that because Eircode was designed for postal address identification rather than navigation, it was likely that Eircode was going to cause mis-routing in a number of cases. Since Eircode was being promoted for emergency response, we considered it important that the Public would be made aware of this and also the fact that some Eircodes may point to the wrong location or that some people may have none at all. Even one delay when it comes to Public safety could be one too many, especially when such delays can be avoided by a few simple checks. It was for that reason, that Loc8 Code produced the "Eircode & Loc8 Code for Emergency Use Guide" in late 2017, having been communicating its content for several years previously.

Given the increasing dependency on Eircode for calling ambulances and recognition that in some cases it may have never been used, checked or proven before being used for that purpose, Loc8 Code conceived the idea of the #checkyourcode service during 2019. Furthermore, as there were increasing recommendations for the Public to "know" their code, something that can only be reliably achieved with frequent use, Loc8 Code wanted the #checkyourcode initiative to also educate people that if they are not regularly using their code, then it is unlikely that they will "know" or recall it in the heat of an emergency. So Saving & Displaying your Eircode or Loc8 Code is equally important. Similarly, if the person that "knows" the code is unconscious or unavailable and a visitor or babysitter has to call the emergency services,  the sign on the Fridge, inside the main door or by the phone would be a very important  assistance.

So we at Loc8 Code are now pleased to have taken the initiative to enhance Public Safety by getting the #checkyourcode and #displayyourcode messages out to the Irish Public.

The process of checking a code cannot be automated so it does need some effort. If you can, make some time to sit down and read the "How To" Guide carefully and then go through the process. It only needs to be done once. But please also do for those who can't.

We hope this service will help and that you will share it widely.
We also wish everyone the very best in these challenging times,

Check - Save - Display

(see below for examples as to why it is important to #checkyourcode)