TRADERS FURIOUS AT AN POST DELIVERY FOR NEWRY STORES
DEPUTY BRENDAN MCGAHON BACKS UP RETAILERS AND CRITICISES GAY BYRNE AND FERGAL QUINN December 1987
DUNDALK television dealers are furious that An Post handles a publicity drop for a Newry store.
An estimated 7,000 leaflets are delivered by postmen throughout the town for Murphy’s Domestic Appliances.
While some of the ‘white goods’ can actually be bought cheaper in Dundalk, local TV retailers are complaining that they have already been hit badly enough, without An Post encouraging people to cross the border to shop.
‘I would say I have lost a couple of customers through this. Some of the prices for items quoted, I cannot even buy at cost,’ one dealer laments.
He makes the point that while there is little difference between north and south in the price of the ‘white goods, there is a significant difference in televisions and videos.
This is another blow to already hardhit Dundalk traders.
Fine Gael TD Brendan McGahon goes as far as to accuse An Post as being an ‘agent provocateur’ in encouraging people to shop in Newry, who in turn break the law by smuggling back these purchases.
‘I think the business people of Dundalk deserve the Congressional Medal of Honour to stay in business with this type of thing going on,’ he says.
‘It has to be deplored. It is on a par with Gay Byrne on radio telling people to go across the border, and where to go for bargains.
‘A guy who earns a very good living off the people who pay their television licences,’ McGahon continues.
‘And then you have Fergal Quinn (chairman of An Post) turning this thing into a joke.
‘I wonder if he would be as quick to have competitors’ goods advertised in this way, if he was still in business in Dundalk.’
The Dundalk TD also points out that what causes a lot of annoyance is that the Newry leaflet is, in many cases, delivered inside as copy of the St. Vincent de Paul annual appeal, confusing the minds of many people.
However, local postmaster Thomas Hughes comments on the Newry leaflet drop or ‘publicity post’, to use the official description.
‘We checked it out with our HQ people, and as far as we are concerned, it is business to us.’
He makes the point that An Post is now a semi-state body, and it might be different if it was still a state organisation, where a decision might be made not to handle such business.
In fact, Mr. Hughes is surprised that more traders, such as those operating off-licences, do not avail of the publicity post service.
On another matter, he adds, ‘You might remember that CIE ran buses to Newry, and there was criticism of them at the time, as it was regarded as taking business away from the south.
The postmaster continues that Newry people place advertisements in the Dundalk papers, and are not turned away on the grounds that they take business from the town.