asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware of the dissatisfaction of industrialists in the Cookstown Industrial Estate, Tallaght, County Dublin, with the postal service in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tallaght (Dublin) Postal Service.
5.
My information is that the firms on the estate are in general satisfied with the overall standard of the postal service provided. The association representing the firms has raised some points of detail with my Department and these are under examination at present.
Numerous representations have been made to me, and to the Department, about this matter and the committee dealing with this have requested a meeting with officials of the Department or with the Minister but to date that has not happened. There is great dissatisfaction with the service in the area. The firms on this estate depend a great deal on the postal service. Will the Minister agree to meet a deputation from the committee or instruct his officials to do so?
The Deputy appears to be misinformed. My officials have met a deputation from the association concerned and in the course of a discussion a spokesman accepted that the member firms were satisfied with the overall standard of the postal service. That spokesman had a number of complaints on matters of detail. My officials are continuing to look into those details to see what can be done. I do not think my Department could have been more accessible or reasonable in relation to this matter. I appreciate the Deputy's concern for his constituents and for the firms in the area but I can assure him that the Department are giving proper attention to this.
It is true to say that following a number of telephone calls from me officials of the Department visited some of the firms on the estate but the Minister should not say that the firms are satisfied with the service because they are not.
Their spokesman accepted that the member firms were satisfied with the overall standards of the postal service and he had a number of complaints to make concerning matters of detail. That is the point. I do not know if the Deputy is suggesting that the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs should have meetings with people on matters such as the location of letter boxes and so on. I do not think that is normally a fair request and I am satisfied that my Department are giving proper attention to this matter. I suggest to the Deputy that when the Department have been accessible and in touch with the people concerned in trying to remedy defects that it may not be the best course to press questions of this kind through repeated supplementary questions.
I am anxious to assist the Deputy to elicit information relevant to the question but we must proceed by way of supplementary question.
I appreciate that but I have not got satisfaction about this matter although I have brought it to the attention of the Department on many occasions.
This is leading to argument. I am passing on to the next question.
I can always raise this matter on the Adjournment.