asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether he will arrange for the opening of special hatches at the General Post Office and College Green post office for the sale of national health insurance stamps, as the present arrangement of purchasing these stamps at the ordinary stamp hatches is a cause of congestion, a source of irritation and a waste of time to the public.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Health Insurance Stamps.
At the General Post Office, up to six hatches and at College Green three to four hatches are operated for the sale of all stamps, including insurance stamps. A large percentage of purchasers of insurance stamps also purchase postage stamps at the same time and to require these people to go to a second counter to complete their business would give rise to complaint. Further, the concentration of the public at a special hatch for the purchase of insurance stamps would be more likely to cause congestion than the present arrangements where purchasers have a choice of several hatches.
At the end of each half-year special provision is made to cope with the additional sales of insurance stamps peculiar to these periods.
In the circumstances, it is considered that the existing arrangements are best suited to public needs and it is not, therefore, proposed to open special hatches for the sale of insurance stamps.