Vol. 549 No. 3
125 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the estimated direct mail business conducted out of Ireland on an annual basis; the estimated value and extent of incoming direct mail; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6821/02]
According to An Post, the direct mail industry in Ireland is estimated to have grown at an exponential rate over the last decade at between 20% and 25% above the European average, albeit from a much lower base. However, direct mail in Ireland is still well below European levels. Based on research undertaken in 1998 for the An Post group, the average Irish consumer could expect to receive 26 items of direct mail per annum, while a British consumer could receive 68 items, Belgian, 106, Swiss, 211 and German 74 items per annum.
An Post is not in a position to estimate the true extent of direct mail items entering or leaving the country as it has no way of telling the content of any mail piece. By its very nature, direct mail is individually addressed and is indistinguishable from an ordinary letter. Furthermore, no information is available on the level of direct mail outside the reserved area being carried by competitors of An Post or the costs involved.
