9th January 2003

---

Ferris Claims An Post May Be In Breach Of EU Directive

The Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Rural Development, Martin Ferris TD has claimed that An Post's proposal to end door-to-door deliveries may be in breach of an EU Directive on the provision of postal services. The Deputy for Kerry North says that he intends to raise this in the Dáil and in a submission to the Commission for Communications Regulation.

Deputy Ferris said; ``If, as seems to be the case, that customers in rural areas are to be given a different standard of service depending on where they live, then the proposal is in breach of Article 5.1 of Directive 97/67/EU which guarantees `an identical service to users under comparable conditions'. It also negates the commitment made to provide `fair and non-discriminatory treatment'.

``Apart altogether from this being a further attack on the quality of life of people in rural communities, it is also clear that the Government's penny pinching will ensure that users of the postal service will be given different and unequal treatment depending on where they happen to live. That is an unacceptable practise in any public service funded from people's tax.''

---

Sinn Fein Press Office, 44 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Tel: +353-1-8726100 and +353-1-8726839   ·   Fax +353-1-8733074
E-mail: sfpress@eircom.net   ·   Website: http://www.sinnfein.org

---

Sinn Fein   ·   Sinn Fein Documents

---