Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the way in which he proposes to combat junk mail in the event of the introduction of post codes as per his recent pronouncement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20068/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the way in which he proposes to combat junk mail in the event of the introduction of post codes as per his recent pronouncement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20367/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 232 together.

I am favourably disposed towards the introduction of postcodes because of the case made that a national postcode system would offer significant potential benefits for the postal business, for public utilities, for businesses in general and for consumers, and facilitate the provision of a wider range of services to them.

On the issue of junk mail, I would like to point out that An Post is statutorily obliged under section 12 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 to satisfy all reasonable demands for postal services throughout the State.

The public receives a wide variety of mail from a number of sources, some of which could be regarded as unsolicited mail, including unaddressed mail material, which may also be delivered by operators other than An Post. An Post itself provides two services called Postaim and Publicity Post Material which allow businesses to address correspondence about their products and services directly to individuals or alternatively to have unaddressed publicity brochures delivered to houses in a particular area. Furthermore, one person's junk mail can be another person's great bargain or vital piece of information that they need.

Measures are already in place to manage the impact of direct mailing. Under section 2(7) of the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003, individuals have the right to request that they be removed from any direct mailing lists used by businesses. Householders also have the option of limiting the amount of unsolicited mail they receive by completing a mailing preference service form requesting that their names be removed from mailing lists controlled by members of the Irish Direct Marketing Association. The form, available from post offices, goes directly to the Irish Direct Marketing Association and only applies to addressed mail sent by their members. It has no bearing on mail from any other source or unaddressed mail.

I have no intention at this stage to introduce additional measures in respect of direct mailing.