I note with concern that there is a decision to help to 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 receive an allocation, with Deputies receiving 1,200 or 1,300 pre-paid envelopes every month five or six years ago, and Senators receiving much less. I worked it out that it 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. The cost of postage was 55 cent. All of the envelopes, even those on which people woite, were prepaid. They were paid for three or four years ago. In the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission we reduced the cost by nearly 50%. We helped to save this Parliament and taxpayers more than €1 million per year, but more could be done.

Nonsense. Some of us need the envelopes.

We do not need that many.

We certainly do. It has gone down from-----

Senator, le do thoil.

Many Deputies and Senators do not realise the envelopes were paid for by the State four years in advance. We received a discount that was next to nothing.

The Senator has made his point.

If anybody operating on behalf of the State is to pay money upfront for pre-paid envelopes, he or she should at least obtain a better discount that would help to ensure taxpayers' money was well spent.

That is a matter for the commission eventually, should it decide on it.