asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures if he is aware that letters from Belgium, France and Germany are taking eight days, 11 days and 35 days respectively to reach business firms in Dublin; whether he can state if censorship on such letters is exercised in Éire only, and, if so, the average period of detention here; and whether having regard to the serious inconvenience caused by delays in business correspondence, he can expedite the delivery of such letters for the future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Censorship Delays.
I am aware that there is considerable dislocation of the foreign postal service at the present time owing to censorship and transit difficulties. I am not aware, however, that correspondence to and from the countries mentioned is being regularly delayed for the periods stated. In the present situation letters from abroad are liable to be censored in the country of origin, and in many of the countries through which they pass, but so far as our censorship is concerned there is no undue delay. Items from the countries referred to are normally released by the postal censorship on the day they are received.
Can the Minister give any reason for the long delays in the case of letters coming from the countries I have specially mentioned? Of course, he may doubt what is set out in the question about those delays taking place, but I can assure him that the delays referred to there in respect of letters coming from Germany, Belgium and France did actually take place. The numbers of days set out in the question are perfectly correct. I saw the letters myself; I saw quite a bundle of them. I appreciate the difficulties and everything else, but can the Minister not do something to expedite the delivery of letters coming to people in Éire from Continental countries?
I do not think the period of delay indicated by the Deputy is at all normal. Of course, there are very long delays in some cases. All I can promise the Deputy is that if he brings to my attention cases where there has been a delay for an undue period of time, I will see if anything can be done to bring about a remedy.