Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I note with concern that there is a decision to help increase the price of a postage stamp. The Minister has asked the Cabinet to remove the price cap in order that An Post can continue to carry out its five-day postal service. Last week I sent a letter to another European country that had to go overnight and it cost me €33. An Post is under pressure but it should not be subsidised in such a way.

I have raised the issue before at the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission of how Deputies and Senators used to get an allocation, with Deputies getting 1,200 or 1,300 pre-paid envelopes every month five or six years ago, and Senators getting much less. I worked it out that this was less than €2 million per year. Whoever did the deal on behalf of this Parliament ten or 15 years ago got a discount of 1 cent per envelope. In effect, we paid 54 cent in advance and got postage of 55 cent. All the envelopes, even those which people write on, are prepaid. They were paid for three or four years ago.

On the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission we reduced the cost by nearly 50%. We helped save this Parliament and taxpayers more than €1 million per year. More can be done.