Return to sender

Sir, – I’m writing to complain about the costly and unreasonable return of international packages by An Post. As Irish citizens currently living in Australia, my wife and I posted two small packages to our child’s Irish grandparents back in July.

Despite warnings from the local Australia Post clerk that a lot of packages were getting returned from Ireland, we thought the uncontroversial nature of some Aussie chocolates and a handful of drawings from our four-year-old child would be a low risk. We were astonished to have both packages separately returned to us by An Post some 10 weeks after the fact. Both packages bore a simple sticker from An Post stating, “Return to Sender – Rejected/Failed electronic customs clearance”, with no further explanation. If some chocolates and children’s drawings are failing the An Post electronic customs clearance system, then is it really fit for purpose?

Furthermore, what is it costing An Post to return all these international packages? – Yours, etc,

BARRY DENHAM,