asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state under what circumstances and by what authority private letters in course of post are removed from the Dublin Central Sorting Office and handed over to State officials to be opened, read and resealed before delivery to the addressees, and if he will also state the number of Dublin citizens whose letters are now subjected to this process.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mail Censorship.
In accordance with Section 56 of the Post Office Act, 1908, a letter may be detained and examined in obedience to a warrant issued by the Minister for Justice.
I do not consider that it would be in the public interest to disclose the number of persons whose letters are now being examined under this authority.