The Minister for Public Enterprise should suspend An Post's decision to implement "exorbitant" increases in newspaper postal charges, pending an investigation, said Senator Avril Doyle.
The Fine Gael MEP called on Ms O'Rourke to investigate why the company had introduced increased charges following an EU directive on transparent costing, even though the changes were not required until February.
Another key part of the directive - establishment of a separate audited accounts system - had not been implemented, Ms Doyle said, adding that An Post appeared to be "hell-bent on making a handsome profit on the backs of the newspaper industry and small publishers, under the guise of an EU directive".