Frequently Asked Questions
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GeoDirectory’s Irish Address Database FAQ
Read useful information about GeoDirectory and our products.
What is GeoDirectory?
GeoDirectory is Ireland’s most authoritative electronic register of addresses matched precisely to their geographical locations. It is straightforward and easy to use and has helped hundreds of businesses and other organisations in Ireland in reaching out to customers.
What does GeoDirectory give you?
GeoDirectory gives companies and organisations the power to accurately know where buildings, residential and business, are. GeoDirectory gives each property a standardised 8 digit postal code. It classifies each building as being either residential or commercial. Each building is located to within a metre with pinpoint accuracy. GeoDirectory also gives further breakdowns of information such as townlands, electoral and county divisions.
For a full explanation of how GeoDirectory works please see our technical manual.
How can I use GeoDirectory?
GeoDirectory helps businesses to operate more effectively. Its vast store of information is used to simplify the management of customer contact information and to identify potential new customers. GeoDirectory allows customers to provide Internet location-based services or improve the efficiency and accuracy of route design.
GeoDirectory is a powerful business tool that alongside other data such as the national census or a company’s own customer profiles can help identify the best sites for business location, or pinpoint the most effective advertising sites or reveal geographical trends and patterns that can be visualised when displayed on a map. You will be amazed at what GeoDirectory can deliver.
GeoDirectory is so powerful it can even identify target markets by income group, age profile, home ownership and other criteria (used in conjunction with CSO data).
How easy is it to manage GeoDirectory?
GeoDirectory is aimed at the medium to larger sized organisation with a need for fast, accurate information in an easy to use format. GeoDirectory comes in four separate formats to download:
CSV (Excel compatible)
Access
Oracle Dump
XML
If you have further questions call or email Dara Keogh, CEO of GeoDirectory, on +353(0)1 7057005 or geodirectory@anpost.ie. He’ll be delighted to advise you on the best package for your needs.
Who is behind GeoDirectory?
GeoDirectory is developed jointly by An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) – two of the State’s most reliable institutions. Their expertise is combined to create a database of 1.87 million buildings and 2.2 million addresses.
How is GeoDirectory updated?
Every quarter An Post delivery staff are debriefed for ‘on the ground intelligence’. This is fed into a database by a dedicated team of support staff who are also in constant communication with local authority planning departments. This information is then coded (geocoded) by Ordnance Survey Ireland. We add in feedback from existing customers and then these updates are available to our existing clients free of charge.
No address database can ever remain static so every year GeoDirectory makes up to 600,000 changes to its database as new buildings are constructed, addresses are amended or reclassified, as companies relocate and as new companies are established while others cease trading.
What are geocodes and how can I use them?
A geocode is a reference number based on latitude and longitude (X,Y coordinates). GeoDirectory uses geocodes to precisely pinpoints the geographical location of buildings and other features of the landscape to within a metre of where it stands.
Using geocodes supplied by GeoDirectory, in conjunction with mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, individual buildings can be visually depicted on a map of Ireland to create sales territories, routing schedules, catchment areas and locations of current, new and prospective customers.
How can I buy GeoDirectory?
Simply call or email Dara Keogh, CEO of GeoDirectory, who will be glad to advise you on the best package for your needs.
Dara’s phone number is +353(0)1 7057005, and his email address is geodirectory@anpost.ie.
Where can I get the mapping and software?
GeoDirectory itself is supplied as a flat file. It is delivered in a format which is suitable for importing into any standard database and/or GIS package. Mapping products are available from Ordnance Survey Ireland.