Revised Acts
This Act
Download PDFs
On the eISB
Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983
Interpretation.
2.—(1) In this Act, except where the context otherwise requires—
“company” means the postal company or the telecommunications company, as the case may require;
“the Companies Acts” means the Companies Act, 1963, and the Acts which by virtue of any enactment are to be construed with it as one Act;
F1["Commission" means the Commission for Communications Regulation established by Part 2 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002;]
F2["the Director" means the Director of Telecommunications Regulation;]
“functions” includes powers and duties;
“Minister” means the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs;
“postal company” means the company referred to in section 10 (1) (a);
“recognised trade unions and staff associations” means trade unions and staff associations recognised by the company for the purposes of negotiations which are concerned with the remuneration or conditions of employment, or the working conditions, of employees;
“recognised unions and associations” means unions and associations recognised by the postal company for the purpose of negotiations which are concerned with the contracts entered into by the company with postmasters;
“State authority” means an authority being—
(a) a Minister of the Government,
(b) the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland,
(c) the Irish Land Commission;
“telecommunications company” means the company referred to in section 10 (1) (b);
“vesting day” means the day appointed under section 9 (2) to be the vesting day.
(2) Any word or expression to which a particular meaning is assigned by the Post Office Acts, 1908 to 1951, the Post Office Savings Bank Acts, 1861 to 1958, or the Telegraph Acts, 1863 to 1916, has in this Act, except where the context otherwise requires, the meaning so assigned.
(3) A reference in this Act to a Part or section is to a Part or section of this Act, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended.
(4) A reference in this Act to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is to the subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended.
(5) A reference in this Act to any enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended or adapted by or under any subsequent enactment.
(6) Where any function of either company is, under the memorandum of association of a subsidiary (within the meaning of section 155 of the Companies Act, 1963) of that company, a function of the subsidiary every provision of this Act or any other enactment relating to the company shall, in respect of that function, apply to the subsidiary as it applies to the company.
Annotations
Amendments:
F1
Inserted (15.05.2007) by Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act 2007 (22/2007), s. 4(2) and sch. 1 part 5 item 1, S.I. No. 224 of 2007.
F2
Inserted (23.06.1997) by European Communities (Telecommunications Services Monitoring) Regulations 1997 (S.I. No. 284 of 1997), reg. 3.
Modifications (not altering text):
C2
Functions transferred and references to Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications construed as Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (1.06.2025) by Telecommunications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 237 of 2025), arts. 2, 3, and sch. part 1, in operation as per art. 1(2), subject to transitional provisions in arts. 4-8.
2. (1) The administration and business in connection with the exercise, performance or execution of any functions transferred by Article 3 are transferred to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
(2) References to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications contained in any Act or any instrument made under an Act and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph (1) shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
3. (1) The functions vested in the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications –
(a) by or under the Acts or provisions of the Acts mentioned in Part 1 of the Schedule,
(b) under the Regulations or provisions of the Regulations mentioned in Part 2 of that Schedule,
are transferred to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
(2) References to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications contained in any Act or instrument made under such Act and relating to any functions transferred by this Article shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
...
Schedule
Part 1
...
Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 (No. 24 of 1983)
...
The history of the Ministers concerned with Postal and Telecommunications Services Acts can be traced as follows:
• Title of Minister for Posts and Telegraphs changed to Communications (2.01.1984) by Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1983 (40/1983), s. 3(2)(a), in operation as per art. 3(1) and S.I. No. 408 of 1983.
• Functions transferred and references to Minister for Communications construed as Tourism, Transport and Communications (8.02.1991) by Communications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1991 (S.I. No. 26 of 1991), in operation as per art. 1(2).
• Title of Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications changed to Transport, Energy and Communications (22.01.1993) by Tourism, Transport and Communications (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993 (S.I. No. 171 of 1993, in operation as per art. 1(2).
• Title of Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications changed to Public Enterprise (12.07.1997) by Transport, Energy and Communications (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1997 (S.I. No. 299 of 1997), in operation as per art. 1(2).
• Functions transferred and references to Minister for Public Enterprise construed as Marine and Natural Resources (18.06.2002) by Communications, Energy and Geological Survey of Ireland (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 300 of 2002), in operation as per art. 1(2).
• Title of Minister for Marine and Natural Resources changed to Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (19.06.2002) by Marine and Natural Resources (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 307 of 2002), in operation as per art. 1(2).
• Title of Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources changed to Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (20.10.2007) by Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2007 (S.I. No. 706 of 2007), in operation as per art. 1(2).
• Title of Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources changed to Communications, Climate Action and Environment (23.07.2016) by Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2016 (S.I. No. 421 of 2016), in operation as per art. 1(2).
• Functions transferred and references to Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications construed as Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (1.06.2025) by Telecommunications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 237 of 2025), in operation as per art. 1(2).
• Title of Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media changed to Culture, Communications and Sport (2.06.2025) by Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 236 of 2026), in operation as per art. 1(2).
C3
Functions transferred and references to Minister for Finance construed as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (29.07.2011) by Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 418 of 2011), arts. 3, 5 and sch. 1 part 2, in operation as per art. 1(2).
3. The functions conferred on the Minister for Finance by or under the provisions of —
(a) the enactments specified in Schedule 1, and
...
are transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
...
5. References to the Minister for Finance contained in any Act or instrument under an Act and relating to any functions transferred by this Order shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
...
Schedule 1
Enactments
...
Part 2
1922 to 2011 Enactments
|
Number and Year |
Short Title |
Provision |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
|
... |
... |
... |
|
No. 24 of 1983 |
Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 |
Sections 3, 10(3)(d), 11, 16(2), 26, 32, 33, 50, 51 and 110 |
|
... |
... |
... |
The history of the Ministers concerned with Finance aspects of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 can be traced as follows:
• Functions transferred and title of Minister for Finance changed to Public Expenditure and Reform (29.07.2011) by Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 418 of 2025);
• Title of Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform changed to Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (1.02.2023) by Public Expenditure and Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 19 of 2023), in operation as per art. 1(2);
• Title of Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform changed to Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (5.06.2025) by Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 243 of 2025).