Costello objects to An Post Fianna Fáil ad

LEGAL action was yesterday taken against An Post to stop them stamping post with the Fianna Fáil logo.
Labour Senator Joe Costello served the postal company with a summons and threatened to seek a court injunction next week if it does not stop putting the FF logo and election slogan on his post.

The postal company was criticised last month for allowing Fianna Fáil exclusive use of its mail-franking service. It means that all mail posted in the State which goes through automated post centres – about 70% of all letters and packages – carries the party name, logo and slogan. The novel approach to grabbing the voters’ attention costs Fianna Fáil €9,500 a month and is booked for March, April and May.

Labour’s Seanad leader claims the stamping has created uproar among thousands of customers and said he cannot believe the company is continuing the practice in the run-up to the general election.

“I believe that, by putting this politically partisan material on my correspondence to my constituents, An Post is interfering in the democratic process. An Post has a monopoly on postal services and the fact that practically every envelope is now a Fianna Fáil canvassing card cannot continue,” Senator Costello said.

The legend on the letters carries Fianna Fáil’s name and the messages: “Prosperity, Progress, Peace” and “Securing the Future”. Technically, letters are the property of An Post once they enter the postal system.

Opposition parties objected to the arrangements saying they were entitled to send mail to constituents without having the FF logo emblazoned on the envelope.

An Post chief executive John Hynes gave a commitment to the Dáil Committee on Privileges and Procedures last month that it would try to develop a system whereby mail sent by politicians would not be franked. But this would mean all TDs and senators mail would have to be posted from Leinster House.

Yesterday An Post said that Senator Costello was entitled to his view but that the franking service is available to anyone who wants to buy it and FF were the first into the breach: “What we are doing is entirely legal.”

The advertising service sold by An Post covers stamped, personal mail, but not business mail which is usually franked, rather than stamped.

Yesterday Fianna Fáil party sources said Senator Costello’s legal challenge was a matter for An Post to deal with as the FF stamp was a commercial opportunity offered by the postal company.

“We took up an offer that was open to anybody,” the source said.

An Post said the service has become increasingly popular among businesses and organisations, with many of them booking the service months in advance to coincide with key dates for their organisations.