An Post is entitled to deliver mail to addresses of customers that are different from their actual geographical addresses, the High Court has ruled.
An Post had challenged a direction of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) requiring it to deliver mail using the geographical description of a customer’s house instead of their postal address, which was different.
An Post argued the direction was outside ComReg’s powers and was an unacceptable micromanagement of its postal delivery service. Using geographical rather than postal addresses nationwide would require a costly and fundamental restructuring of the manner in which mail was sorted and delivered, it argued.
The case arose after ComReg issued the direction in November 2011 requiring An Post to deliver post to a disputed address. Patrick and Sandra O’Connell wanted to use the address Blackstone Bridge, Watergrasshill, Co Cork, claiming that was their official address and the most accurate geographical description of their location. They complained that mail posted to that address was often delivered late but An Post argued that as part of its delivery system in that part of Cork, the O’Connells’ postal address was Blackstone Bridge, Rathcormac, Co Cork.