News Article : Wednesday 9th June 2010
Post Office Would Not Disclose Source
This story article centers around the demands made on a member of the general public for payment of a television license from An Post.
Included below is a copy of this letter with redacted names and address to protect the privacy of the public member, however the public member has given full permission to use his name and address should it be neccessary.
First let see what happened from the public member :
I arrived home last week to find my post had arrived. Upon opening this letter I would find a demand for a television licence addressed to me and containing all my details. Now bearing in mind I do not own a Television but anyway if I did they is a licence supplied with the property in the landlords name. However I was quite annoyed by this letter and how this public service came to have my details when I do not have any dealings with them. What annoyed me about this letter was that it contained my name and address, but contained wording throughout the letter which I found most threatening and a form of complete harrassment if i am honest.
I immediately contacted the telephone number provided at the top of this letter sent to me but could not get through for about an hour or so. Eventually getting through to the only number provided I immediately asked the telephone attendant some questions about this most threatening letter. I first challenged the telephone agent as to why this letter had arrived in the First instance and how the An Post service sourced my contact details. I also asked how An Post had determined the issues which had been raised in such a threatening letter. The An Post telephone agent stated that this was standard practice written letter. I stated that I would not be agreeable to such tactics used and felt very threatened by such a demanding and threatening letter been made upon me without first establishing and confirming the content which this letter contained.
I went on to ask the An Post telephone agent how An Post had in the forst place sourced my contact details, the An Post telephone agent said he could not give me this information. I said why not? The An post agent said, because he was not obliged to. I said that surely was not legal, the An Post agent that was the way it was and he had no legal obligation to supply me with the source supplying my data protected details. I stated to him that I wanted to know the source as it was my right to know as my details were protected under the data protection acts to privacy and that I had not given written confirmation for the use of my details. I stated the An Post agent that I would be contacting the Data Protection Ombudsman about this to clarify.
I then asked the An Post agent how they came to determine the content (as shown in original letter) which was contained in the demanding letter and that I found such a letter most threatening. I stated to the An Post agent that none of the content contained in the letter had in fact been established or determined and that An Post were blind fishing which was most disturbing. I stated to the An post agent that I found the letter to contain offensive content and content with accussed me of breaking the law when in fact I had not broken the law in any way, but yet this letter clearly makes an accussation of breaking the law. I then again asked the An Post how the content was determined, the An Post agent stated that this letter was a standard letter sent out by An post. I stated to the An Post agent again that this was blind fishing but was a very disturbing way of going about things. The An Post agent asked how else were they to determine who had an had not television licenses in the country area's. I was completely shocked by this statement and replied, maybe ask first in a more polite manner, maybe provide work positions giving the unemployment in the country or lastly task the postman with supplying the service.
Without going on to much, I recieved the managers contact details in Dublin to write to about the source of my information and have contacted the Data Protection Ombudsman's office. The Ombudsman's office stated that some of the letter's content was outside their remit and would not be able to deal with it. I replied that I was aware that the letter contained such content that numerous offices would have to be contacted about the contact. I also added that this was the clever tactics used by the state to confuse and frustrate people away from making complaints, however I am not one to just lay down and will raise these issues.
First lets break down this letter and see what it is all about
and most threating letter to either purchase a television license or face prosecution. A Number of concerns are raised in this article and the the Post Office and Data Protection Office has been contacted. An investigation is currently under way to determine the source used by An Post to gather such sensative information and what legislation they use to govern such use without first obtaining the written consent from the owner of such information. Is it legal or is it illegal that is to be determined, here is the story.
I arrived home to find a piece of mail containing a letter from An Post demanding that
Included below is a copy of this letter with redacted names and address to protect the privacy of the public member, however the public member has given full permission to use his name and address should it be neccessary.
First let see what happened from the public member :
I arrived home last week to find my post had arrived. Upon opening this letter I would find a demand for a television licence addressed to me and containing all my details. Now bearing in mind I do not own a Television but anyway if I did they is a licence supplied with the property in the landlords name. However I was quite annoyed by this letter and how this public service came to have my details when I do not have any dealings with them. What annoyed me about this letter was that it contained my name and address, but contained wording throughout the letter which I found most threatening and a form of complete harrassment if i am honest.
I immediately contacted the telephone number provided at the top of this letter sent to me but could not get through for about an hour or so. Eventually getting through to the only number provided I immediately asked the telephone attendant some questions about this most threatening letter. I first challenged the telephone agent as to why this letter had arrived in the First instance and how the An Post service sourced my contact details. I also asked how An Post had determined the issues which had been raised in such a threatening letter. The An Post telephone agent stated that this was standard practice written letter. I stated that I would not be agreeable to such tactics used and felt very threatened by such a demanding and threatening letter been made upon me without first establishing and confirming the content which this letter contained.
I went on to ask the An Post telephone agent how An Post had in the forst place sourced my contact details, the An Post telephone agent said he could not give me this information. I said why not? The An post agent said, because he was not obliged to. I said that surely was not legal, the An Post agent that was the way it was and he had no legal obligation to supply me with the source supplying my data protected details. I stated to him that I wanted to know the source as it was my right to know as my details were protected under the data protection acts to privacy and that I had not given written confirmation for the use of my details. I stated the An Post agent that I would be contacting the Data Protection Ombudsman about this to clarify.
I then asked the An Post agent how they came to determine the content (as shown in original letter) which was contained in the demanding letter and that I found such a letter most threatening. I stated to the An Post agent that none of the content contained in the letter had in fact been established or determined and that An Post were blind fishing which was most disturbing. I stated to the An post agent that I found the letter to contain offensive content and content with accussed me of breaking the law when in fact I had not broken the law in any way, but yet this letter clearly makes an accussation of breaking the law. I then again asked the An Post how the content was determined, the An Post agent stated that this letter was a standard letter sent out by An post. I stated to the An Post agent again that this was blind fishing but was a very disturbing way of going about things. The An Post agent asked how else were they to determine who had an had not television licenses in the country area's. I was completely shocked by this statement and replied, maybe ask first in a more polite manner, maybe provide work positions giving the unemployment in the country or lastly task the postman with supplying the service.
Without going on to much, I recieved the managers contact details in Dublin to write to about the source of my information and have contacted the Data Protection Ombudsman's office. The Ombudsman's office stated that some of the letter's content was outside their remit and would not be able to deal with it. I replied that I was aware that the letter contained such content that numerous offices would have to be contacted about the contact. I also added that this was the clever tactics used by the state to confuse and frustrate people away from making complaints, however I am not one to just lay down and will raise these issues.
First lets break down this letter and see what it is all about
and most threating letter to either purchase a television license or face prosecution. A Number of concerns are raised in this article and the the Post Office and Data Protection Office has been contacted. An investigation is currently under way to determine the source used by An Post to gather such sensative information and what legislation they use to govern such use without first obtaining the written consent from the owner of such information. Is it legal or is it illegal that is to be determined, here is the story.
I arrived home to find a piece of mail containing a letter from An Post demanding that
