Database of valid Eircodes and / or a validation API

Closed

Might I suggest that the maintainer of Eircode either release regularly, a free database of all valid Eircodes currently in use and / or provide an open-access API where developers can check if an Eircode is valid and in use.

Currently, the only means to validate an Eircode is either manually via finder.eircode.ie (limited to 15 uses per day!) or by purchasing access to either the ECAF or ECAD databases... which is overkill for a simple Yes/No validation and they are much too expensive.

Updates to the database could be released in-line with current Eircode release cycles and available for public download. The API should allow a developer to query an Eircode and receive a simple Valid / Invalid response and if Invalid, perhaps 5 - 10 close matching Eircodes that might be correct.

Additional Info

Creator Malachy Donohue
Organisation
Online URL
Public Sector Body DCENR, An Post
Potential Use

Website forms, Data processing, Data cleansing
Likes 26
Created 6 years ago
Closed 6 years ago
Open Data None
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Current Discussion

  • Josh (Unauthenticated user) (8 months ago)

    What a disgrace.
  • Mike (Unauthenticated user) (1 year ago)

    Any way to snag the DB online?
  • Tibi (Unauthenticated user) (3 years ago)

    In the UK the dataset for ALL UK postcodes is free for grabs from ONS UK.

    There is a partially free alternative for geolocation use cases: https://what3words.com/products/public-api/
  • Tom (Unauthenticated user) (3 years ago)

    Really very upsetting that there is no API available, just robbery service providers offer the access for 150 Euro per year. Same service is free or minimal 20-30 Euro in other countries. No one is hearing the voice from here, because this is good business for certain people.
  • James Gough (Unauthenticated user) (4 years ago)

    I maintain an online ordering app and recently have started looking for ways to do eircode validation. It sucks that this info isn't public but it makes sense in way because Irish postcodes are unique in that they specify exactly where that domicile is. Anyway, I am applying for a corporate license here as per instructions here: https://www.osi.ie/services/public-sector-eircode-api-locator-service/ I will post any update on my application and advice for others looking to do similar work.
  • Shane O'Sullivan (Unauthenticated user) (4 years ago)

    The lack of this dataset is stifling innovation in Ireland, with ridiculously large paywalls being put in front of public data. There can be no excuse for this.
  • Pat (Unauthenticated user) (4 years ago)

    Open source this to help tackle deliveries in COVID! Courier heroes need this ASAP
  • Keith Doyle (Unauthenticated user) (4 years ago)

    Disgraceful
  • Joe Desbonnet (Unauthenticated user) (4 years ago)

    This sounds like a very sensible suggestion and cannot be argued away by the need for eircode company to make money. If anything it will encourage more use. As an aside privatizing important national information infrastructure like eircode was a really bad decision in the first place.
  • Aga (Unauthenticated user) (4 years ago)

    Stupid idiots!!! it was funded by taxpayers so release the database of eircodes scums !
  • Gery (Unauthenticated user) (4 years ago)

    Disgusting that these fools want people to pay for service which was funded from taxpayers money. Tells a lot about irish ripoff mentality.
  • Matthew Rawlings (Unauthenticated user) (4 years ago)

    Could start with just the pubs.
  • Giuseppe De Francesco (Unauthenticated user) (5 years ago)

    Why is this closed? The dataset has not been created and is badly needed.
  • Brian (Unauthenticated user) (5 years ago)

    Prices are crazy for using any of these services. We got quoted €0.36 per lookup. This was meant to make life easier but great job putting paywalls up for something the taxpayer paid for.
  • Ronaan Keane (Unauthenticated user) (5 years ago)

    I strongly second Malachy Donohue's proposal. The taxpayer put €40 million into setting this up, and now that investment has turned to making private profit? Is there any other country in the world who do this with their national post codes? (granted, de facto codes in our case). Anyway, from my perspective, due to the very significant expense, small companies are effectively prevented from doing something which should be very simple, for their Irish customers, to better serve them online. Thanks.
  • MBeakey (6 years ago)

    This is a commercially available service. Capita who trade as Eircode, are the Eircode Management Licence Holder on behalf of the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment, have in place over 36 approved Eircode Providers. Many of these Providers have created automated API’s for validating Eircodes in real-time, auto-populating/auto-fill address forms and provide other specialist value-added services. These API’s can be seen when applying online for insurance, fast food deliveries, event tickets etc. A list and contact details of these providers can be found on the Eircode website, https://www.eircode.ie/business/feature. Eircode also provide and maintain the free online Eircode Finder tool. This tool is available to the general public free of charge, limited to a maximum of 15 searches per day at this time of the year. For further information on the Eircode Providers, Eircode Finder Tool and other queries please contact Eircode at hello@eircode.ie
  • MBeakey (6 years ago)

    Query referred to DCCAE for consideraton on 18/4/2018
  • Liam Tierney (Unauthenticated user) (6 years ago)

    A "Proximate Validation API" would be good enough. A lot of mistakes are of the kind abc 0123 or abc o123 , sometimes the mistakes exist and sometimes not.

    If an eircode is submitted with a centroid an API confirms whether

    a) that eircode exists anywhere b) that eircode exists within 5km b) if not how many km away it is from the centre location

    This is a good enough system to sort out complete garbage data.