Ireland 'breached social welfare guidelines'
04/04/2006 - 08:11:38Ireland is being accused of breaching EU guidelines on social welfare payments.
The European Commission says the contract awarded to An Post to make the payments should have been put out to tender, rather than extended twice.
An Post has stressed that if it lost the social welfare payments contract, more rural post offices would be facing closure.
The case is due before the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, although a verdict is not expected until later this year.
