asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state how many applicants there were for the vacant sub-postmastership at Brittas, County Limerick; whether any reliable applicant resided or could obtain premises close to the site upon which the office was situated, and why it was found necessary to remove the location of the office of Grange Cross, thereby gravely inconveniencing the residents of the locality, owing to the non-central situation of the new offices.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Limerick Post Office.
Mr. Boland
There were only two applicants for the sub-office vacancy at Brittas, neither of whom offered accommodation immediately convenient to the site of the former post office. In the circumstances there was no better alternative to the removal of the sub-office to the proposed premises which are nearer to the old site than the premises offered by the unsuccessful candidate.
Is the Minister aware that one of the applicants offered a site almost immediately up against where the old office had been, and that the site offered by the successful applicant is in a place completely out of the Brittas area?
Mr. Boland
I am informed that neither of the applicants offered a site very near the old office, but the one who was given the office offered a site a quarter of a mile away and the unsuccessful applicant offered one which was three quarters of a mile away. That is my information.
With all respect to the information available to the Ministry, it is not in accordance with the facts.
Mr. Boland
I can assure the Deputy that I have seen maps and got a full report. The information is quite in accordance with the facts.
Might I ask the Minister to have the matter inquired into again, because I am satisfied that the distances stated in his reply have been reversed. I would ask the Minister to look into the matter.
Mr. Boland
I will look into it again but I have been assured that those are the facts.