2 0 1 3 ▁and ▁every ▁house holder ▁and ▁business ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁issued ▁a ▁code ▁by ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁Following ▁a ▁cabinet ▁meeting ▁on ▁ 8 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁Rab bit te ▁announced ▁that ▁a ▁unique ▁seven - digit ▁would ▁be ▁assigned ▁to ▁every ▁post - box ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁A ▁cons ort ium ▁led ▁by ▁Cap ita ▁Ireland ▁had ▁been ▁awarded ▁the ▁tender ▁to ▁develop , ▁implement ▁and ▁operate ▁the ▁system , ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁€ 2 7 ▁million ▁over ▁a ▁ten - year ▁period . ▁On ▁the ▁roll - out ▁day ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁household ers ▁and ▁business es ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁look ▁them ▁up ▁online ▁in ▁advance ▁of ▁receiving ▁a ▁posted ▁notification . ▁The ▁E ir code ▁website ▁received ▁over ▁ 1 . 5 ▁million ▁hits ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁ 4 8 ▁hours . ▁ ▁Each ▁code ▁consists ▁of ▁seven ▁letters ▁and / or ▁digits , ▁in ▁the ▁format ▁A 6 5 ▁B 2 CD . ▁The ▁first ▁three ▁characters ▁represent ▁one ▁of ▁ 1 3 9 ▁ge ographical ▁district ▁or ▁post - town s . ▁The ▁existing ▁Dublin ▁postal ▁districts ▁form ▁the ▁first ▁three ▁characters ▁( the ▁" Rout ing ▁Key ") ▁in ▁the ▁system . ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁E ir code ▁routing ▁keys ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁is ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁E ir code ▁routing ▁keys : ▁ ▁Iss ues ▁ ▁An ▁Post ' s ▁position ▁An ▁Post ▁had ▁previously ▁claimed ▁that ▁a ▁nation