The Commission for Communications Regulation has confirmed that consultants hired to examine the possible introduction of postcodes have withdrawn from the project.
It follows a complaint by the Communications Workers Union. The CWU claims the previous involvement of two individuals with an English company which advises on private access to the postal network was not disclosed.
ComReg said there was no question of a conflict of interest and that the two people withdrew to allay any concerns of the union.
The National Postcode Project Board was set up to examine the need for the introduction of postcodes ahead of the planned liberalisation of the postal market in 2009.
The board comprises a number of stakeholders, including the Communications Workers Union.
CWU members and postal workers are fearful that the introduction of postcodes will make access to the An Post network easier and cheaper for private operators and would lead to job losses.
This so-called 'downstream' access means private operators can sort mail themselves but use the An Post network to deliver it.
The union discovered that two of the consultants engaged by the postcodes board through a company called Strategia had a previous connection with an English company engaged in downstream access.
While the CWU is not claiming any conflict of interest, it said members were very concerned about the lack of disclosure from the company concerned and the fact that it discovered the connection by accident, through an e-mail address used by one of the consultants.
Today ComReg confirmed that the individuals had withdrawn from the project but said its connection with the English company was immaterial and the work of the postcodes board was unaffected.
