Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Copy and paste, Deputy Dooley. A large number of post offices have closed in County Laois, in Ballyroan, Castletown, Timahoe, the Heath, Ballaghmore and Emo. These closures have removed a vital local service and struck at the heart of those communities. Apart from the practical issues involved such as the need to travel elsewhere to conduct business, closures are regarded as another step towards running down our villages and communities when we should be doing the opposite. In common with the Technical Group, Sinn Féin demands that the current services, such as social welfare payments, continue to be provided and that services be expanded and developed. Social protection payments must be retained by the post office. As the motion states, a significant number of people do not have a bank account. Several of my constituents do not have bank accounts. Almost 25% of the population has no access to the Internet and in rural areas among the elderly group who use the post office that figure would be far higher. The reverse is probably the case in that 75% of those people have no access to the Internet or to computers. I argue in favour of giving post offices more responsibility for services such as motor tax renewal and commercial rates, rent payments and many other local government and government services.

I appeal to the Minister to ask his Cabinet colleagues what other services could be farmed out to this vital local service. The Minister will give his answer in his concluding remarks but I ask him to go the extra mile and consider what extra services can be offered in the post office network. Some rural areas do not have ATM services. Many post offices could provide banking services on an agency basis. If some of our proposals and those of others were used, they could revitalise the post office services and this in turn would be significant in re-invigorating villages and small towns. I was in Ballinakill the other evening and I can see the importance of the post office as a hub of activity. We must try to build on that hub and ensure that post offices are kept not for the sake of it, but as a vital part of the local economy and to ensure the future of our villages and towns.

I ask Deputies to leave party politics aside and to support this motion. How can the Government vote against having a plan? We have heard all the talk about looking after rural Ireland and rural development. Here is the one single act that this Government can do during its term to breathe life back into small towns and villages such as some of the places I have named. We need that plan and I ask Deputies not to vote against it.

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