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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 Mar 1977

Vol. 298 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Galway Post Delivery.

17.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware that delivery of post did not take place in part of the Inverin area, County Galway on 7th March, 1977; and why his Department's efforts to obtain a leave substitute failed.

I am so aware. My Department had engaged a leave substitute but he reported, on the morning of 7th March, his inability to perform the delivery. No other substitute was available locally for that day.

Is the Minister aware that every time the postman in this area takes his official holiday there is a difficulty with regard to delivery of post, that no arrangements are made by the Galway office?

That is not correct. The Galway office make arrangements to obtain substitutes but I think Deputies will appreciate that in the nature of obtaining a short-term substitute while someone is on leave there is a danger that the substitute may not turn up. This happened on this occasion and on one or two other occasions like this. If a substitute fails to turn up on the morning of the day he is supposed to work naturally it takes a little time before that can be remedied.

Is the Minister aware that this happens quite regularly, that in fact no post was delivered in this area on Thursday, 3rd March, Monday, 7th March, which is mentioned in the question and on Tuesday, 8th March? The Minister would not be aware that the post was not delivered on Monday, 21st March either.

I am aware of all of that and I regret the inconvenience caused to the public in the area, which, I am afraid, has arisen due, possibly, to the unavoidable unreliability of the substitutes available during the absence on leave of the regular postman, who, I am happy to say, resumes duty on Friday next. I hope the Deputy's unease will then be terminated.

Could the Minister ensure that these difficulties of nondelivery of post will not arise again?

I cannot ensure that. There is no way of ensuring that a substitute, who is engaged to turn up on a given morning will with certainty turn up. Human fallability enters into that.

I am not asking the Minister to be infallible on this. The Minister must be aware that the Labour Exchange nominate somebody. If proper contact was made in advance that confirmation of whether or not so-and-so was to be available could be received. Would the Minister make an arrangement whereby the sub-postmaster at Inverin be given authority to have the post delivered where a substitute leave man is not available?

I will ask to have the Deputy's suggestion studied in my Department.

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