asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a decision on a five-day week for postmen will be taken by his Department.
Ceisteann—Questions. Oral Answers. - Postmen's Working Week.
145.
A staff claim for a five-day week for full-time postmen is being considered by the joint Departmental Conciliation Council. Under arrangements already agreed, a five-day week has been given to over 600 postmen at various offices, and the council is at present considering the basis on which it can be extended to the remaining 2,200 postmen. A decision will be taken when the council reports. I understand that the main difficulty is whether the day off should be a rotating one and so enable postal deliveries to continue on Saturday or whether there should be a complete cessation of deliveries on Saturday. A marketing survey is being carried out to ascertain the needs of the public as regarding Saturday deliveries.
Would the Minister state whether the marketing survey is being done by his own Department and how soon he will be in a position to make a decision on the matter?
The marketing survey is not being done by my Department. It is being done by a firm which has facilities for and expertise in this type of thing. I do not expect the report of this marketing survey to be available until February. The survey has commenced but it is not likely to be completed until early in February, 1970. It is, in fact, a test of public reaction to the cessation of postal deliveries.
Is this a national survey?
It is national, with the main emphasis on the Dublin area.