asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs what steps have been taken to ensure that all Government Departments use postal district numbers when addressing letters to the Dublin area.
32.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Postal District Numbers.
31.
Mr. Ryan
Mr. Ryan
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware of the failure of many Government offices to use postal district numbers when addressing letters to the Dublin area; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this state of affairs.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take these questions 31 and 32 together. All Government Departments were notified in advance of the intention to introduce the postal numbering scheme and were, in due course, supplied with copies of the explanatory booklet. A circular was also issued, at my Department's instigation, by the Department of Finance enjoining on all Departments the importance of ensuring adoption of the numbering system. In addition, Post Office officials undertook a personal canvass of Government Departments in Dublin.
Periodical checks have shown that, in general, Government Departments are co-operating in the scheme.
Some failures have, however, come under notice and have been taken up with the Departments concerned.
The chief difficulty is that some Departments with very extensive mailing lists are still in the process of amending machine addressing plates. Such Departments are aware of the need for completing this task as soon as possible and my Department will continue to keep the matter under observation.
Mr. Ryan
I wonder if the Minister is aware that several Government Departments fail to use the postal district number in correspondence with Deputies? Not only do they fail to use it in the addresses on the envelopes but they also fail to add it to addresses in the body of the letters. I wonder would he consider asking these Departments to use the postal district number in the body of the letters as well as in the addresses on the envelope?
I have already told the Deputy that the matter is being kept under review and that officials in my Department are engaged on it.
Mr. Ryan
I am talking about the body of the letter and not the envelope itself.