asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware that the sub-postmasters in County Dublin are entitled to an official dinner interval of one hour from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. each day, and that, although the dinner hour is officially recognised, they have to take incoming telegrams during the dinner hour; and, if so, if he will have the sub-postmasters' complaints in this regard examined and steps taken to remedy them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Dublin Sub-postmasters' Dinner Hour.
Sub-postmasters are not entitled to close their offices for a dinner interval, but they may be permitted to do so on certain conditions, one of which is that provision should be made for telegraph work. Any alteration in this arrangement would cause inconvenience to the public. A sub-postmaster is not obliged to attend to the telegraph work himself.
Does the Minister seriously say that in rural Ireland the post office is not closed for the lunch hour? I could not buy a stamp in a post office in any country town between the hours of one and two.
I have given the reply to the question.
Does the Minister believe that they are not closed for all ordinary services between the hours of one and two?
The practice varies according to the custom of the district in regard to the closing of shops.
I can assure the Minister that, to my certain knowledge, in several towns where no shops close in the middle of the day the post office closes.
The number of regulations concerning this matter would be much too long to read out. Subject to certain other considerations, the practice is that which is followed by other shops in the locality.
Does the Minister consider that, in view of the delay in the delivery of telegrams to-day, another half an hour would not do any harm?
We have not had many complaints from sub-postmasters in regard to that matter.
I have been refused a stamp——
I have handed in telegrams to be sent to Dublin, and I have reached Dublin before they arrived.