Postal dispute - Rural areas are ignored yet again

IT is no exaggeration to suggest that if the country’s long-running postal dispute was affecting Dublin it would be settled long ago. No doubt, the politicians and major business organisations would have kicked up a stink over disruptions to such basic services in the capital.

But despite causing widespread delays to deliveries in rural areas, the pay row between An Post's and its postmasters, which has now dragged on since August 19, remains unresolved.

With Christmas less than six weeks away, small firms and community groups are now seeking urgent resolution of the dispute before the seasonal mail rush begins. For the past four months, the sorting of mail has been delayed for an hour or more every day, holding up postal deliveries from 560 post offices throughout the country.