Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

In my constituency, which has semi-rural parts to it, towns like Rush have been decimated. These communities have lost a bank and a Garda station and have had their library hours cut in a cynical manoeuvre. Now, their post office is being threatened by Tesco. The idea that the Labour Party would stand over a massive multinational benefiting from this hollowing out of villages is reprehensible. This community, many of whom are present in the Dáil tonight, have been collecting petitions and objecting in the strongest possible terms precisely because, if the post office goes, other things will follow.

Multinational superstores have already hollowed out communities. They have been a threat to record shops, bookshops, pharmacies and bakeries, and now the post offices are in their sights. Maybe the Blueshirts are happy with that, so when people collect their social welfare cheques, they can spend their money in Tesco. The people are not happy with that and those outside the gates of Leinster House are not happy. I am delighted the Government backbenchers are under pressure. They should be because the people will not stand for it.

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