asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether he is aware that business firms and others in County Donegal have been, and are being, put to extra expense and inconvenience by having to print extended addresses on their stationery to ensure normal delivery as a result of the recent exhortation to use complete postal addresses, including the appropriate post town; and if he will have the postal system reinvestigated to see if a more suitable service could be provided.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Donegal Postal Address System.
30.
Any expense or effort that may be involved in using a complete postal address is more than repaid by the avoidance of delay to mail.
The postal address system for County Donegal is the standard one for the whole country and is used by postal administrations generally. Exceptional arrangements for County Donegal are neither warranted nor feasible.
Do I take it that no change of the postal system is planned by the Minister's Department?
There was a change made recently and the Deputy is complaining about it, or offering some suggestions in relation to that change —is that not the position?
No change is proposed from the recent scheme introduced by the Department?
No.
I should like to point out that in Donegal you have Narin and Portnoo golf clubs, addressed "Lifford". You have Ballyliffin golf club also addressed "Lifford" and they are almost 100 miles apart. You have business firms such as Milford Bakeries——
That sounds very like a speech.
I am pointing out to the Minister how wrong it is——
Question Time is for questions.
I have already asked the Minister——
But the Deputy is not asking a question now.
Shall I ask him again?
The Deputy is making a statement.
Is the Minister aware of what I have already said?
That does not make it a question, but it may make an argument.
I am aware that the Department introduced into the whole country over some years past a method of sorting letters in local areas by designating certain offices as sorting offices and it is the proper system through which delivery of letters can be expeditiously obtained. That is the system that has been introduced into Donegal. It is the same standard system as applies all over the country and it applies in other countries also.
I am in complete agreement with the Minister but is the Minister aware that to use addresses such as Donegal, Lifford and Letterkenny is most misleading? I suggest that the Minister consult the Minister for Local Government when he will find the system has failed.
I cannot allow the Deputy to establish the precedent of breaking into a speech after a supplementary question.
I think the Deputy should give the new system a trial and the people will get used to it.