Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will issue a directive to ComReg to ensure that the postal universal service obligation is upheld and that the next day delivery rate target of 94% is met; if he has received information from ComReg or An Post regarding the conflicting accounts of the actual next day delivery rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11346/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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Matters relating to quality and levels of postal service are a matter in the first instance for the management and board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. An Post operates within a regulatory framework as enshrined in EU and Irish law and therefore the universal service obligation is a statutory requirement for An Post, as the designated universal service provider. This is set out in Statutory Instrument 616 of 2002 European Communities (Postal Services) Regulations.

The Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, in accordance with the regulations, is responsible for the monitoring, measurement and regulation of the postal sector including measuring the levels of service to be achieved by An Post and ensuring that the company abides by its statutory universal service obligations.

To further facilitate ComReg's performance in this regard, the Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007, once enacted, will enable amendments to the current postal regulations to permit ComReg to apply to the High Court for the application of a financial penalty to An Post in the event that An Post fails to comply with a direction issued by the regulator in respect of either An Post's domestic quality of service standard or quality of service corrective action.