asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he has received any complaints in relation to late postal deliveries and general delay in regard to letters from date of posting to date of delivery during the Christmas period 1969; and, if so, if he will take steps to avoid a recurrence in the future.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Delayed Postal Deliveries.
141.
There were no complaints of general delay to letter traffic within the country during the 1969 Christmas period. There were complaints of delay to mails posted to Britain where, it is understood, services were disrupted by the influenza epidemic. For the same reason, some Christmas letter mail from Britain arrived late.
Is the Minister satisfied that delays occuring here, inevitably at this time of the year, were no greater within this country this Christmas than the previous Christmas?
I am so satisfied. If one is to go by public complaints, there was no increased incidence of complaints with the exception of complaints in connection with the delivery of parcels and letters in Britain and the arrival——
The Minister's Department's own assessment of the mails—is he satisfied it was no worse?
No. It was generally felt that we were able to get out our Christmas mail as we have over the past few years. Certainly, where we specified the latest date for posting, all of that post was got to its destination before Christmas: we are dealing with Christmas in this question.