asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of postal packages and letters addressed to Members of the Oireachtas at Leinster House the delivery of which was not effected by the Department since 1st January last; the cost of notifying the addressors and the addressees of non-delivery; the total cost of stamps which were not affixed by addressors; the surcharges sought by his Department in respect of such letters and packages; the notification sent to addressors in respect of such non-delivery; and when steps will be taken to restore the practice of delivering letters addressed by the public to Members of the Oireachtas at Leinster House irrespective of whether or not stamps are affixed by addressors.
Written Answers. - Failure to Deliver Postal Packages.
456.
The only postal packages or letters addressed to Members of the Oireachtas at Leinster House of which delivery was not effected since 1st January last were, so far as I am aware, those on which surcharges had been raised because of non-prepayment of postage and which Members declined to accept. The detailed information sought by the Deputy in regard to such items is not available, but the total number of items declined was approximately 80.
Surcharged items which the addressees refuse to accept are returned to the senders, where these can be identified, with a request for payment of the surcharge.
On the general issue of the prepayment of postage on postal packages and letters addressed to members of the Oireachtas at Leinster House, I would refer the Deputy to the reply which I gave on the 8th June, 1972.
The great majority of letters addressed to Members of the Oireachtas have postage prepaid, and in many cases where postage has not been prepaid, the surcharges are paid by the Members concerned.