Driveway mail box plan awaits stamp of approval

Plans to introduce end-of-driveway letter boxes to homes across the Republic would not constitute a blow to rural communities, it was claimed yesterday.

The proposal to end door-to-door deliveries and place mail in new outdoor boxes instead is part of a bid by postal company An Post to cut costs and speed up services.

It was revealed that orders have been placed for around half-a-million boxes, although the plan is yet to receive the green light from postal regulators.

An Post spokesman John Foley yesterday rejected claims by opposition party Fine Gael senator Jim Higgens that the move would represent a blow to rural Ireland.

We have an obligation to deliver the mail every day to every part of Ireland at the same time, Mr Foley said.

This move that we are hoping to make with the approval of the regulator will enable us to continue to maintain services in rural Ireland.

He said the new US-style letter boxes which could be introduced in both rural and urban areas by June would bring Ireland into line with other countries.

He said Ireland and the United Kingdom were the only places in Europe where door-to-door deliveries were the norm.

The cost of delivery is enormous, both in terms of time and terms of manpower and womanpower, he said.

The plans would enable An Post to reduce costs by up to 20 million euros (pounds 13 million) every year and would make postal services much more effective.