Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 654: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to introduce a postcode system. [17938/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The National Postcode Project Board (NPPB) presented its recommendation as to the most appropriate postcode system for Ireland, the costs and benefits arising from its introduction along with a detailed implementation, promotion and maintenance plan. The proposal of the NPPB was to proceed with an alpha-numeric postal sector postcode model.

A proposal concerning the introduction of postcodes went to Government in May 2007 and Government decided that, prior to the introduction of postcodes, further analysis to quantify the wider economic and societal benefits should be carried out. My Department has recruited consultants to assist it in carrying out this analysis. This work will be completed shortly. On consideration of this analysis it would be my intention to revert to Government on the issue.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 655: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to insist on much improved next day postal delivery rates and to link them to future stamp price increases. [17939/08]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 656: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to empower ComReg to withhold increases or claw back income where delivery targets are not met. [17940/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 655 and 656, inclusive, together.

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. In addition, the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, in accordance with the 2002 European Communities (Postal Services) 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.

With regard to the progress made on the commitment given in the Programme for Government to empower ComReg to enforce its delivery targets, I have amended the postal regulations using powers conferred on me by the Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act 2007. These amended regulations permit ComReg to apply to the High Court for the application of a financial penalty to An Post, as universal service provider, in the event that the company fails to comply with a direction issued by the regulator, including one in relation to quality of service targets.

Regarding the approval of price increases, under the existing regulatory framework ComReg must concur with price changes for services within the reserved area in advance of any such increases being applied. There is currently no formal link between quality of service and price increases.

My Department has recently launched a consultation process on the EU Postal Directive and one of the consultation topics relates to the regulation of price increases in a liberalised market. I will consider the responses received in the transposition of the Directive into Irish law.