asked the Minister for Communications whether in the course of the last increase in postal charges in March 1986 under section 90 of the 1983 Postal and Telecommunications Act, his Department considered the comparison of Irish postal charges with other members of the EC in respect of (i) internal letters, (ii) internal packages, (iii) international letters within the EC, (iv) international packages within the EC, (v) international letters to the USA, and (vi) international packages to the USA; and if he will describe the comparison that existed then and that now exists.
Written Answers. - Postal Charges.
109.
I understand that a comparison of certain Irish postal charges with those of other European countries was one of the factors taken into account by the then Minister for Communications in his consideration of An Post's proposals for increases in basic postal charges in early 1986. That comparison showed that for internal letters Ireland had the highest postage rate and that for external postage Ireland had the second highest letter rate among EC countries.
As I indicated in reply to a question by the Deputy on 8 March 1988 there has been no increase in Irish postal charges since March 1986. On the basis of information furnished to me by An Post, Irish postal charges for both internal and external letter postage now occupy fourth place in a comparison with other EC countries.