An Post's role defined - now let's pay for it

INSTEAD of making sweeping statements that the postal service in Ireland is poor, why don't Government politicians demand that their colleague, Environment Minister Noel Dempsey, recognise that An Post provides a social service like CIÉ and the ESB?

And while they're at it, they might also provide a permanent and secure subvention - like CIÉ's - so that An Post can meet its universal service obligation.

This is a legal obligation to provide a postal service at an affordable price to all customers irrespective of geographic location.