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S.I. No. 198/1980 - Telegraph (Foreign Written Telegram) Regulations, 1980.
Table of Provisions (26)
Statutory Text (26 Articles)
1. ORDINARY PRIVATE TELEGRAMS
Destination
Rate per word
Standard Rate
Urgent
Rate
Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Austria, Azores, Balearic Is., Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt(Arab Rep.)., Faroe Is., Finland, France, Germany (Dem. Rep), Germany (Fed Rep.), Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Libya, Luxembourg, Maderia, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Roumania, SanMarino,Spain, Spanish Possessions in North Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, U.S.S.R., Vatican City and Yugoslavia.
19p
38p
Antiqua, Antilles (Netherlands), Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Carriacou, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica Island, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, St. Lucia, St. Pierre and Miquelon, St. Vincent, Tobago, Tortola, Trinidad, Turks Island, U.S.A. (including Alaska and Hawaii Islands) and Virgin Islands (U.S.A.).
25p
50p
All other places
32p
64p
2. The rates for Government Telegrams, Service Telegrams, Telegrams relating to the safety of life (SVH), Telegrams relative to the application of the United Nations Charter and Telegrams concerning persons protected in time of war by the Geneva Conventions of 12 August, 1949 (RCT) (to places where these services are available) are the same as for ordinary private telegrams.
3. The rates for Letter Telegrams and Meteorological Telegrams (to destinations where these services are available) are half the rates for ordinary private telegrams.
4. PRESS TELEGRAMS
Destinations
Rate per word
Standard Rate
Urgent rate
Europe and the Mediterranean Basin
(I) Malta
6½p
10p
(II) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Azores, Balearic Islands, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Hungary, Israel, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Libya, Maderia, Monaco, Morocco, Poland, Roumania, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, U.S.S.R., Vatican City
9½p
19p
North American and Carribean
(I) Antiqua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Carriacou, Cayman Islands, Dominica Islands, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis-Anquilla, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Tobago, Tortola, Trinidad and Turks Island
6½p
13p
(II) Antilles (Netherlands), Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Pierre and Miquelon, U.S.A. (including Alaska and Hawaii Islands) and Virgin Islands (USA)
8p
25p
Rest of the World
(I) Ascension, Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brunei, Chatham Islands, Cocos-Keeling Islands, Cook (Hervey) Island, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaya, Mauritius, Nauru, New Guinea, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norfolk Islands, Papua, Rhodesia, Rodriquez Islands, St. Helena, Sabah, Samoa (Western), Sarawak, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Tristan da Cunha, Uganda, Willis Islands and Zambia
6½p
19p
(II) All other places
10p
32p
5. RADIOTELEGRAMS
CATEGORY
Route/
Destination
Charge
Ordinary, standard rate
( a ) via Irish or British coast stations
20p per word
( b ) via other coast stations
20p per word (plus cost of a telegram to the country in which the coast station is located at the standard rate)
Ordinary, urgent rate
Available only to coast stations in countries accepting urgent telegrams
20p per word (plus cost of telegram
to country in which coast station is located at urgent rate)
Ordinary, reduced rate
via Irish Coast Stations only
12p per word
Press, standard rate
via Irish or British coast stations
10p per word
Press, reduced rate
via Irish coast stations only
6p per word
Warships, standard rate
( a ) to Ships in Home Fleet
8½p per word
( b ) to Ships serving abroad
12p per word
Marisat, standard rate
via satellite (Marisat)
55p per word
Ships Letter Telegram
via Irish coast stations only
4½p per word
6. MISCELLANEOUS RADIOMARITIME SERVICES
Description
Charge
Notification of Transmission
(a) via Irish coast station
96p
(b) via British coast station
110p
Cancellation
(a) Before message sent to coast station
12p
(b) After receipt at coast station and before message sent to ship
96p
Coast station in Ireland
plus reply
96p
Coast station in Britain
110p
plus reply
110p
Information about ships
Per enquiry
12p
Abbreviated telegraphic address for radiotelegrams from ships
Annual fee
31p
Weather forecast
Per enquiry
126p
Position (QTG) enquiry from ships
62p
7. MISCELLANEOUS OTHER SERVICES
(1) Service indications are charged for as one word at the appropriate rate for the category of telegram concerned.
(2) A supplementary charge as for seven words at the appropriate rate for the category of telegram concerned is made for a reply in the case of the following services.
(a) Notice of Delivery
(b) Cancellation of a Telegram
GIVEN under my Official Seal this 26th day of June, 1980.
ALBERT REYNOLDS.
The Minister for Finance hereby consents to the foregoing regulations.
GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Finance, this 26th day of June, 1980.
MICHAEL O'KENNEDY.
EXPLANATORY NOTE.
These Regulations, which have effect from 1st July 1980
(
a
) introduce a new system of counting the number of chargeable words in international telegrams
(
b
) replace all previous Regulations relating to foreign telegram services and charges
(
c
) increase charges for foreign telegrams and related services.
8. All or any one or more of the following classes of foreign telegrams may as the Minister may from time to time decide, be admitted in the foreign telegram service, namely
Ordinary private telegrams,
Service telegrams,
Government telegrams,
Telegrams related to the safety of life,
Telegrams relative to the application of the United Nations Charter,
Telegrams concerning persons protected in time of war by the Geneva Conventions of 12 August, 1949,
Meteorological telegrams,
Money Order telegrams,
Postal Cheque telegrams,
Letter telegrams,
Government Letter telegrams,
Franking privilege telegrams,
Press telegrams, and
Telegrams to and from ships at sea (radiotelegrams)
9. For the purposes of these Regulations a Service Telegram is a foreign telegram sent on the business of the telegraph service. For the said purposes a paid service telegram is a service telegram in respect of which a charge is raised. A service telegram shall not be admitted unless it bears a service indication according to the purpose of the telegram.
10. (1) A foreign telegram sent by any of the following authorities, namely;
(
a
) a Head of State,
(
b
) a Head of Government or a member of a Government,
(
c
) a Commander-in-Chief of a regular military force, whether land, sea or air,
(
d
) a diplomatic or consular agent,
(
e
) the Secretary General of the United Nations or a Head of any of the Principal Organs of the United Nations,
(
f
) the International Court of Justice,
(
g
) a reply to a foreign telegram sent by any one or more of the foregoing authorities is in these Regulations referred to as a "Government telegram"
(2) Where the Minister is in doubt as regards the authenticity of a Government telegram he may, before admitting the telegram, require it to bear the seal or stamp of the authority sending it.
(3) Where the Minister is in doubt as regards the authenticity of a reply to a Government telegram, he may, before admitting the reply, require the sender to produce the original of the Government telegram to which it purports to reply.
(4) Government telegrams for which the sender requests priority shall bear the service indication "ETAT PRIORITE" and shall have priority over all telegrams except telegrams relating to the safety of life (SVH) or telegrams relative to the application of the United Nations Charter. Government telegrams for which the sender does not demand priority shall bear the service indication "ETAT" and they shall not be entitled to any priority over ordinary telegrams.
(5) The minimum number of chargeable words as regards a Government telegram shall be the same as for an ordinary private foreign telegram.
11. (1) Foreign telegrams which—
(
a
) relate to—
(i) the safety of life on land, at sea, in the air or in outer space, or
(ii) exceptionally urgent epidemiological matters, and
(
b
) bear the indication "SVH", (which telegrams are in these Regulations subsequently referred to as "SVH telegrams") are entitled to absolute priority over all other telegrams, but will only be admitted if they refer to the safety of life in cases of exceptional urgency.
(2) The text and signature of SVH telegrams must be in plain language.
(3) The minimum number of chargeable words as regards a SVH telegram shall be the same as for an ordinary private foreign telegram.
12. Foreign Telegrams exchanged in an emergency and relative to the application of the provisions of Chapters VI, VII and VIII of the United Nations Charter shall bear the service indication "ETATPRIORITENATIONS" and shall have priority over all telegrams except telegrams relating to the safety of life. If such foreign telegrams do not bear the said service indication they shall be treated as if they were Government telegrams bearing the service indication "ETAT PRIORITE".
13. Foreign telegrams may be accepted from or for delivery to prisoners of war, civilian internees or relief societies, recognised for the purposes of these Regulations by the Minister. They shall bear the service indication "RCT". The minimum number of chargeable words as regards the aforesaid telegrams shall be the same as for ordinary private foreign telegrams.
14. A foreign meteorological telegram, that is to say, a foreign telegram sent by an official meteorological service or by a station in official relation with such a service, and addressed to such a service or to such a station and which consists solely of meteorological observations or forecasts, shall not be accepted if it bears any service indication other than "OBS". The minimum number of chargeable words as regards a foreign meteorological telegram shall be the same as for ordinary private foreign telegrams.
15. A foreign money order telegram, that is to say, a foreign telegram issued in accordance with the Regulations which are for the time being in force, relate to telegraph money orders and are made by the Minister shall only be admitted if it bears the service indication "MANDAT".
16. A foreign postal cheque telegram, that is to say, a foreign telegram issued in accordance with the Regulations which are for the time being in force, relate to foreign postal cheque telegrams and are made by the Minister shall only be admitted if it bears the service indication "VIREMENT".
17. (1) Foreign letter telegrams, that is to say, foreign telegrams which, subject to these Regulations, are to have the advantage of priority of transmission and delivery shall not be delivered unless they have the service indication—
(
a
) in the case of an ordinary such letter telegram, " LT",
(
b
) in the case of telegram is a Government Letter Telegram, "LTF"
(
c
) in the case the telegram is a ship's letter telegram, "SLT" and
(
d
) in the case the telegram is a social letter telegram, "GLT",
(2) The minimum number of chargeable words as regards a foreign letter telegram shall be—
(
a
) in case the telegram is a social letter telegram, eleven,
(
b
) in any other case, twenty-two.
18. (1) Foreign press telegrams, that is to say, telegrams the texts of which are made up of information or news for publication in newspapers or other periodical publications or for radio or television broadcasting, may, and may only, be addressed to newspapers, or periodical publications, news agencies or bureaux to Press Services of diplomatic missions or to radio or television companies, stations or other bodies lawfully broadcasting.
(2) A foreign press telegram shall not be admitted if it is addressed to a person connected in any capacity whatsoever with any newspaper, periodical, publication, agency, bureau, service, company, station or other body referred to in paragraph (1) of this Regulation.
(3) The Minister may make provisions concerning the acceptance of foreign press telegrams thereby limiting the facility to Press Correspondents duly authorised by him.
(4) A foreign press telegram shall not be admitted unless it bears the service indication "PRESSE".
(5) The minimum number of chargeable words as regards a foreign press telegram shall be fourteen.
19. Foreign telegrams may be forwarded for transmission to a ship at sea or to other stations participating in the maritime mobile service by a land station providing such a service. Such telegrams may also be received by land stations from ships at sea or from other stations participating in the maritime mobile service for delivery to persons on land.
20. No foreign telegram shall be transmitted which contains
(
a
) anything dangerous to the security of any State through the territory of which it is to be transmitted, or
(
b
) anything contrary to the laws of, or prejudicial to public order in any such State.
21. (1) The sender of a foreign telegram may opt for one or more of the special services referred to in paragraph (2) of this Regulation and provided for the time being by the Minister.
(2) The Minister may provide in relation to the foreign telegraph service all or any one or more of the special services listed in the first column of the table to this Regulation.
(3) Where the sender of a foreign telegram exercises an option under this Regulation, the service indication listed in the second column of the table of this Regulation opposite the mention in the first column thereof of the special service, or, as the case may be, each of the special services in respect of which the option is exercised will be included in the address of the telegram and will be charged for at the rate of one word per service indication, and any such charge shall be in addition to any extra charge which may arise as regards the special service or special services in question.
TABLE
(1)
(2)
Special service
Service indication
Urgent transmission and delivery
URGENT
Prepaid reply
Request for confirmation of delivery
RP
(followed by amount)
PC
Confirmation of delivery
CR
Reforwarding at sender's request
FS
Reforwarding at sender's request from given address(es)
FSDE
(followed by the name(s) of the office(s) of reforwarding)
Redirection at addressee's request
REEXPEDIEDE
(followed by the name(s) of the office(s) of redirection)
De luxe form
LX
De luxe form of condolence
LXDEUIL
Telephone delivery
TF
(followed by telephone number)
Telex delivery
TX
(followed by telex number)
Retention of radiotelegram at coast station
JOUR
(followed by number of days)
22. (1) Subject to Paragraph (3) of this Regulation, the sender of a foreign telegram which is of a category specified in these Regulations shall pay to the Minister the amount calculated at the rate specified in the Schedule to these Regulations in relation to that category.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this Regulation, the Minister may in any case in which he may consider it just or reasonable to do so remit any sum payable under these Regulations.
(3) The minimum charge for an ordinary private foreign telegram is that appropriate to a foreign telegram comprised of seven chargeable words.
23. (1) A refund of the total charge for a foreign telegram or a refund of part of the charge may be made by the Minister in any of the following circumstances
(
a
) where the claim for a refund is received within a reasonable period commencing on the date on which the telegram was handed in;
(
b
) where, through not fault of the sender, the telegram (or part of the telegram) is not delivered or is not delivered within a reasonable period;
(
c
) where the telegram failed in its purpose through no fault of the sender and because of an alteration or omission by the telegraph service.
(
d
) where the telegram was stopped in accordance with the laws of another State on the grounds of security of that State or public order or decency;
(
e
) where the telegram had not been transmitted prior to the receipt of notice of cancellation;
(
f
) the service paid for was not provided.
(2) In the case of a reply paid telegram the amount of the refund will include the amount prepaid for reply where either the original message or the reply failed its purpose on account of an alteration or omission by the service.
(3) Refunds are normally to be paid to the sender.
24. A foreign telegram shall be subject to the Telegraph (Inland Written Telegram) Regulations, 1980, other than Regulation 1, 4(1), 5, 10(3), 10(4), 11, 23, 40, 41 and 42 thereof, as if it were a telegram described in the said Regulation 4(1).
25. The following are hereby revoked
(
a
) the Telegraph (Foreign Written Telegram) Regulations, 1906 (S.R. and O., No. 523 of 1906);
(
b
) the Telegraph (Foreign Written Press Telegram) Regulations, 1906 (S.R. and O., No. 625 of 1906);
(
c
) the Telegraph (Foreign Written Press Telegram) Amendment (No. 1) Regulations, 1907 (S.R. and O., No. 1058 of 1907);
(
d
) the Telegraph (Foreign Written Telegram) Amendment (No. 1) Regulations, 1915 (S.R. and O., No. 180 of 1915); and
(
e
) the Telegraph (Foreign Written Telegram) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 1940 (S.R. and O., No. 51 of 1940).
SCHEDULE
S.I. No. 198 of 1980.
TELEGRAPH (FOREIGN WRITTEN TELEGRAM) REGULATIONS, 1980.
I, ALBERT REYNOLDS, TD, Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, in exercise of the power conferred on me by the Telegraph Acts, 1863 to 1904, and which with the consent of the Minister for Finance hereby make the following Regulations