asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware that addresses in Irish on letters to offices of Gaelic organisations are often translated into English on the envelopes by the postal authorities, although postmen having delivered letters to such places for a considerable period are perfectly familiar with the locations; and if he will issue instructions to have this practice in the Post Office stopped.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Postal Regulations.
The practice of inserting the English translation on correspondence addressed in Irish is almost entirely confined to addresses in the Dublin postal district, where a substantial number of the sorting staff have not a sufficient knowledge of Irish. Such being the case, translation is necessary in order to avoid missorting or mis-delivery of items addressed in Irish.
The position regarding provincial addresses is different inasmuch as, although there still remains a number of older postmen who have not sufficient Irish, the younger men help them to identify any Irish addresses presenting difficulty, but the English address is not, as a rule, written on the cover.
The position at Dublin is kept under constant review and the necessity for translation will disappear in time when officers qualified in Irish replace the older members of the staff.