asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if post left in Merrion Row post office, Dublin for England, Northern Ireland and Irish counties must all be posted before 5 p.m. if it is to arrive at its destination by the early morning post of the next day; and if, as a result of the inconvenience which is caused to the business community and residents in that area, he will make arrangements so that the Merrion Row post office will take letters up to 6 p.m.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mail Posting at Dublin Post Office.
24.
The answer to the first part of the question is "yes" and to the second "no".
The time required to collect postings throughout Dublin city in the late afternoon traffic conditions and to process the collection to meet despatch deadlines commencing at 7.30 p.m. is already very tight. I regret therefore I am unable to meet this or similar requests.
Is the Minister aware of the inconvenience that this is genuinely causing to the business community around that area? In view of the high costs of postage, would he not make some effort to meet the needs of the business and professional community in that central city area?
The question has been examined and it simply would not be possible. There would be some other post office which would be equally qualified for this and the time required to bring the post for central sorting and despatch in present traffic conditions would make it impossible.
The Minister is aware that it is difficult for small businesses. Large businesses, and it is to their advantage, have to send a man every evening down with the post to get it there specially. I know of one concern which does this and although there is a box outside their premises, they cannot use it. Other people, perhaps, have not sufficient post and it does inconvenience them very much. It is something to which some of the public have become accustomed but really they should not be asked to do so.
Can the Minister say why, in view of modern mechanical improvements, the result to the Post Office has been that letters must be posted earlier and delivered later than they were quite a short time ago?
As the Deputy knows, the Dublin Sorting Office is still getting under way.
In the days of the dogcart, letters were delivered sooner.
I have no reason to think that our deliveries and despatches in the ordinary way are not of a fairly high standard compared with countries of the same population.
They certainly take longer than they did ten years ago.