asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware of the inconvenience caused to and the concern expressed by people living in the Aghinagh parish of Macroom, County Cork, in relation to the change in postal deliveries there, as under the new arrangements post is now three and a half hours late; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Macroom Postal Deliveries.
14.
The revised arrangements provide for delivery in Aghinagh commencing at 10.0 a.m. and ending at 1.40 p.m. in the outlying areas. An improvement of half an hour in these times will be made shortly. These delivery times are comparable with those which obtain in many other similar areas. It is not feasible, I regret, to revert to the former arrangements under which the postman was based at Aghinagh and commenced delivery there at 7.35 a.m.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary tell me if there were any private discussions or consultations with the people in this parish before the re-arrangement of the services, which means a delay of between three and three-and-a-half hours?
There were not any previous consultations. In fact, deliveries in Aghinagh up to then were exceptionally early for a predominantly rural area. This came about through the amalgamation of a complete area, giving a general improvement of conditions to an adjoining area. The position was that the Aghinagh area enjoyed a far earlier delivery service than could normally be expected because the postman, with permission, delivered the mail in his own private car which meant that Aghinagh received exceptional treatment.
The Parliamentary Secretary will appreciate that it is 2.30 in the afternoon before some of the post is delivered.
There will be an improvement of 30 minutes and the latest time will be 1.10 p.m., officially.