asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether he is aware that the advertisements announcing increased postal charges have been grossly inadequate and that there is widespread dissatisfaction because of the number of surcharged items circulating through the postal system, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Increased Postal Charges Publicity.
I do not agree that the publicity given to the increase in postage rates was inadequate, or that the amount of surcharging was abnormal for a period immediately following a change in postage rates.
A comprehensive statement setting out the revised rates, which came into effect on the 4th June, was released to the Press including the provincial Press on the 9th May. News bulletins from Radio Éireann that night quoted the new rates. The daily newspapers of the following day, 10th May, gave prominence to the change and quoted the new rates and the date from which they took effect.
A change in postage rates and charges inevitably results in some underpayment of postage until the public has become accustomed to the new rates; this does not, of course, apply to items such as parcels and registered packets which have to be handed to a Post Office official. A special notice, in postcard form, quoting the revised rate for printed papers, was delivered in the business areas of Dublin and main provincial cities during the week preceding the 4th June. Announcements on the radio, emphasising the new rates for printed matter, i.e., printed papers and newspapers, were made on Sunday, 3rd June, Monday, 4th June, Tuesday, 5th June and Thursday, 7th June. Six-inch two-column advertisements were inserted in the two Sunday newspapers of the 3rd June and in the three Dublin and the Cork daily newspapers of Monday, 4th June. These advertisements, which bore an effective pictorial design, stressed the most important aspect of the changes as far as underpayment of postage is concerned, namely that the minimum postage on printed matter was 2d. This was supplemented by news items in the Sunday papers of the 3rd June and in the daily papers of the 4th June.
On and from the 4th June, all Post Offices displayed a notice showing the revised inland postal rates.
The extent of underpayment of postage, which resulted in surcharging, was, in the case of printed papers, in no way abnormal for the occasion of a change in postage rates and adjusted itself very rapidly. The number of printed papers surcharged in the first three days, 4th, 5th and 6th June was about 5 per cent. of the total number of printed papers posted. This figure dropped very substantially in the next three days and the position was back to the ordinary level by the end of the first week. Underpayment on other postal items, the postage on which had been increased, was insignificant.