Senator Garret Ahearn

mechanism to fund the purchase of existing and or construction of new houses by the local authorities to meet the ever increasing housing crisis

infrastructure deficiency throughout the county such as road, rail, telecommunications, energy, information technology including broadband with the object of encouraging economic development

most seriously threatened by budgetary overruns in the course of the past three and a half years

full extent of savings made by each Government Department and their subservient bodies over the past three and a half years under the separate headings of reform and reduced expenditure or elimination of waste

infrastructure deficiency throughout the county such as road, rail, telecommunications, energy, information technology including broadband with the object of encouraging economic development

objectives for his Department over the next five years

public expenditure reductions and reform throughout the public service have brought spending into line with income over the past three and a half year

that reforms and efficiencies throughout the public sector here are in line with best practice throughout Europe

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important legislation that deals with recording the defining moments of our lives, our births, marriages and deaths - the records that establish our position and status within the State, and our relationship to one and another and to the State as citizens.

To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the serious reservations of many potential users of the proposed post code and in view of its almost complete irrevocability once introduced, if he will consider postponing its introduction pending an examination of the extent to which it meets the criteria for a national post code as defined by the Joint Oireachtas Communications Committee in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter?