(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will guarantee that the airmail facility provided in Limerick General Post Office for despatch through Shannon Airport will continue on a seven-day basis as before.

2.

(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the percentage of airmail for the United States and Canada posted in Cork postal district which is despatched through Shannon Airport.

3.

(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the percentage of airmail for the United States and Canada posted in the following districts and despatched through Shannon Airport: Tralee, Killarney, Mallow, Bandon, Midleton, Waterford, Clonmel, Tipperary, Thurles, Nenagh, Roscrea, Portlaoise and Kilkenny.

4.

(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the benefits to the service achieved by despatching some airmail which is posted in the South 1, 2, 3 and 4 post office regions through Dublin Airport rather than through Shannon Airport.

5.

(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the basis on which the despatch of airmail through Dublin Airport rather than through Shannon Airport is decided.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 together.

All airmail letters for the United States of America and Canada posted in the postal districts and regions mentioned are despatched through Shannon Airport except on Sundays when airmail from offices in Counties Carlow, Laois, Kilkenny, Offaly, Tipperary and Waterford are despatched through Dublin Airport. It is proposed that this latter arrangement should be extended on Sundays only to all airmail letters for the USA and Canada, as the small amount still being despatched through Shannon Airport on Sundays would not justify continuing the expensive staffing arrangements involved and as despatch through Dublin Airport would reduce the overall cost of handling the mails while substantially maintaining existing standards of service. The amount of airmail letters not being despatched through Shannon Airport cannot be readily quantified but as mentioned it is quite small.

(Limerick East): What staff savings does the Minister of State envisage by removing this service from Shannon?

The savings envisaged would be in the region of £10,000 per annum.

(Limerick East): Does it involve the removal of staff from the facility at Shannon on weekends?

I understand that this decision was made by the previous administration of which the Deputy was a member——

(Limerick East): That is not the question that I asked the Minister of State.

——and I expect that he will have made very strong representations to that Government. As far as I can see from my brief the situation would entail a reduction of workers on Sunday, not a reduction of staff.

(Limerick East): My information is that no such decision has yet been taken and that it is a matter for negotiation.

A question, Deputy.

(Limerick East): Is the Minister aware that especially during the winter months the mail which is taken to Dublin and despatched through Dublin is frequently brought by train back to Limerick and despatched through Shannon and that there is no improvement whatsoever in the service? Is the Minister further aware that flights from Dublin Airport land in Shannon anyway to pick up more mail? The streamlining of the service does not improve the service and it is a downgrading of a provincial facility which has existed for years.

When was this service discontinued?

The Minister of State to reply to Deputy Noonan.

(Limerick East): On a point of order I would like an answer.

I will have my officials investigate and bring a report to me about the matters raised by Deputy Noonan. A meeting is to be held on Monday, 5 April, between the POWU headquarters and the Limerick staff representatives. I will ask my officials to bring me a full report in relation to this matter as quickly as possible.

When was this service that Deputy Noonan is speaking of discontinued?

(Limerick East): It was not discontinued.

It is not discontinued as yet. Discussions are in progress at the moment and, as I am a new Minister of State in this Department, I will ask for a full, up-to-date account of the position.

(Limerick East): I do not find it satisfactory to discuss the matter with the Minister of State in this way. Could I see him afterwards?

I have no objection whatever to meeting the Deputy to discuss this matter, or to meeting the other Deputies from Limerick who are very concerned and who have brought the matter to my attention. I will meet the Deputy at any stage to discuss the matter.

Perhaps the Minister of State would refresh my memory. I understood him to say in his reply to Deputy Noonan that this decision had already been taken by me or by my Minister of State, his predecessor. When?

The preliminary advice and record of the work are on the file. I think a decision has not been made. I must correct that in case there is any misrepresentation.

It is extremely serious for the Minister of State to make such a statement without being sure of his facts. It is most misleading and damaging and downright fraudulent.

I do not accept that.

The Minister of State said that a decision was made.

My advice is that the information had been compiled and prepared and to that extent it has been made. As a new Minister of State in this Department I am having the matter reviewed and when the meeting takes place on 5 April I will have a full report which I will bring to the Government for attention.

On a point of order, a few minutes ago I missed a division here. The bells rang television screen in the restaurant did not show a votáil sign, and it was assumed by me and some other Deputies that this was the bell for Question Time. Secondly, it is generally assumed here that after 2.30 p.m. Deputies are free to leave the House because there will not be any division in the next hour. Are we setting a precedent now of having divisions during Question Time?

The division was called before 2.30 p.m. The bell rang for Question Time at 2.25 p.m. and at about 2.27 p.m. a member of the Deputy's party's front bench called for a vote. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle was here and, according to the rules, the bells were rung for a division. Because of possible confusion among Deputies the bells went on for almost twenty minutes.

A number of Deputies, including myself, left the precincts of the House when the bells started to ring. We were waiting for them to ring and now we have been caused some embarrassment. It should not be allowed to happen again.

A division is liable to occur up to 2.30 p.m. and this was before that time.

When the bells ring for Question Time and no notice appears on the television screen it is certainly misleading.

The Deputy must agree that any of his party's members has a right to call a division, and this one was called by a colleague of his on the front bench. Would the Deputy wish to differentiate between the bells ringing for Question Time and the bells ringing for a vote?

I am raising the point, Sir, so that you might consider avoiding the difficulty in future. Because of the tight situation in the Dáil it is important.

I cannot stop any of the Deputy's colleagues calling a vote on an amendment.

Maybe you could consider referring the matter to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges so that once the bells go for Question Time a vote cannot be challenged.

I was in the restaurant when the bells rang and I am quite definite that the votail sign appeared on the television screen.

Maybe after several minutes.

The bells were ringing for quite a long time. Certainly it must have been clear that the bells were not ringing for Question Time.

Deputies had left the precincts of the House once the bells started ringing for Question Time.

There is nothing we can do about it. The bells ring for one minute before Question Time and three minutes before divisions.

I have made the point. Perhaps you would consider it.

Deputy Cooney.

I ask the Minister for a categoric assurance that he will not attempt to mislead the House in the future as he attempted to do a few moments ago.

There was no effort on my part to mislead the House. The proposal was made to discontinue this service. I am reviewing that proposal in the light of the meeting which has taken place. I certainly apologise for any reference to a decision having been made. It is not to be taken as fact that a decision was taken. It has not been taken.

I accept that.