xGov Hack Event Eircodes Overview
This is a post by DCCAE
Introduction
The introduction of Eircodes provides and unambiguous location for every postal address in Ireland whether previously unique or non-unique (most rural addresses and many village and town addresses are non-unique e.g. Townland, Postal Town, County).
Now it is possible to quickly identify distances and routes between any two addresses. It is also possible to calculate distance and identify the optimum route to or from previously non-unique addresses without having to manually calculate it..
This spatial automated capability can be put to use in relation to delivery public services. This functions in two directions.
Direction A
From the perspective of the Public Sector body it is now possible to plan and deliver services in a more efficient and effective way. It is possible using geo-encoded customer data i.e. Eircode has been appended to the existing customer address, to plan the location of services and it is possible to optimise the delivery of services by field staff
It is also now possible using accurate census data to plan for future services, their location, scale and transport access.
Direction B
From the perspective of the citizen, with a unique Eircode applied to their existing address, it is now be possible to identify where public services are available relative to my current geo located address or any address I plan to be at in the future.
For example, while I may have lived at my current address for a while, there are public services that I have not had the occasion to use in the past. I now need access to one or more public services and I want to know the most convenient available location of that service that covers my area.
Focus of the Hackathon
Our focus in this Hackathon is on Direction B — the Citizen’s perspective
To set out the focus area in which we seek solutions, we have set out below some sample scenarios.
Scenario 1
We are a young family that moved to this area recently. We have a 2 year old and we want to know what primary schools are available so that we can apply for a school place.
Scenario 2
My mother is becoming quite elderly. She is not able to get out much anymore. The day is long when we’re at work. I want to find out what sort of services is available for her in the area….perhaps a day centre where she can go and meet others for the day.
Scenario 3
Our family are growing. My son and daughter have moved into secondary school, but find it difficult to study with the younger children in the house. We’d like to find the location of a local library or similar facility that is open in the evenings where the older children can study in peace. Access to parking and the building would be important to me.
Scenario 4
We are young a family and outgrown a city centre apartment. We plan to rent a house in the suburbs. I work in the city centre and my wife works in Citywest. We want to search for a house within our budget, where the commute for neither of us is more than 1 hour including drop-off of our child at a school.
We need some way to filter the houses available on property websites (e.g. DAFT, MyHome etc.) based on public transport journey to city centre, driving or public transport journey time to Citywest and including a walking/driving or public transport drop off at school.
Scenario 5
I need to renew my passport. I need to determine where I can pick up an application form, have it signed and certified and submitted. Currently this involves getting a form in a post office or Garda station, get form and photos signed in a Garda station and submitting this via Post office or directly to the Passport Office. I need to find the location of all of those and in the case of the Garda Station and Post Office. I want to know the closest to me or the ones that are quickest to get to by my chosen means of transport — walking, cycling, public transport, taxi and private car.
Scenario 6
I’ve decided to start my own small business from my garage. I live in in rural Ireland outside a small village with a non-unique address. I want to register for VAT and I also want to check with the Planning office of the local authority to see if there will be any issues before I do any advertising. I’m also wondering if there is any assistance from me from some state agencies or other …maybe a Local Enterprise Office and what information I need to provide to them. At present I’m not sure where these are. Also, from a new start-up perspective I’m concerned that my customers and suppliers will not be able to find my office as it’s hard to find if you’re not from the area. Presently I have to leave the house to meet couriers to collect my parcels.
Scenario 7
Develop app to keep track of all new builds (households, factories, offices etc.) within my Eircode routing key area from Planning Permission (include the x/y co-ordinates), commencement notice, completion of construction (certificates of completion etc.), electricity/gas/water connection and registering the new address for postal deliveries.
Scenario 8
I’m in South Dublin. My child has just cut her finger and it may or may not need a stitch. It’s 9pm on a Saturday night. We don’t want to go to A&E if we can avoid it. I think there may be a 24 hour GP service around Dun Laoghaire, but I’m not sure. I want to find the nearest GP service that is open right now and what specialised services it provides. I’d also like the routes to it by car or public transport and to know if there is parking nearby. Also how do I pay for the parking, is it free, cash, token, scratch card, online etc.
Scenario 9
I am considering buying a particular house. I want to check which transport routes are available nearby, what schools are available (including provision of languages, sports & extra-curricular activities etc.) and any planning applications for the adjoining sites. I also want to see where the local GP and nearest chemists are located as I have young children.
Scenario 10
My mam in Trim has broken her arm recently has been referred to Drogheda hospital. She does not know if there is a bus service from Trim to Drogheda and how close it would leave her to the hospital. In fact there is a bus that stops near her house in Trim and has a stop directly outside Drogheda hospital.
With an Eircode app on her smartphone, she would like to click on a list of hospitals (option for a national list and local list based on her current location), then click Drogheda hospital and find all the buses to/from where she lives including timetables (live if possible), taxi’s (include approx.. fare) and if there is a rural transport provider/mini-bus that she can use.
Scenario 11
It’s just after Christmas. I want to recycle the Christmas tree and all of the Christmas wrapping, boxes and bottles. Furthermore, we just re-decorated the house before Christmas. I now want to dispose of left over unused paint and materials that cannot placed in my household refuse. Where can I dispose of these or recycle them? How much will it cost me and can I get a claim this expense back against my tax (or under a grant scheme).
Additional Considerations
Self-Service Update by Public Service Providers
It is likely if such self-services become well established there will be a facility for each Public Service Provider to maintain and update its own content such as opening hours, Christmas or holiday openings, changes in specialities, changes in car parking or wheelchair access. Directions to and images of particular locations for specialised services within the site of a large facility such as a hospital or third-level campus etc.
User-Generated Content
This content may also enhance the overall public service if the citizen could contribute user-generated content such as handy parking nearby, locations of bike racks, coffee shops or restaurants nearby etc. A facility for such functionality could form part of a solution, while addressing techniques to could be used to identify a single Eircode from multiple address variations with such content attached.
Sources of Information
Data to be used in the solution (web service or app) , may be gathered by the following or from elsewhere.
1. Open data from search services e.g. Google;
2. Open data provided by the agencies either directly or via Government OpenData portal;
3. Scraping of information from websites of the various business and functions;
4. Ordnance Survey Ireland data provided on the day e.g. Prime2, LiDAR etc.; and
4. User generated content by citizens — photos, directions, facilities nearby tips etc. (future).
For the duration of the Hack Event we have drawn together some additional data files which have not yet been publish on the Government OpenData portal.
Details of these will be set out on a separate post and also announced on the day.
