Mr. Brian McGann:

My response to that is to point to the fraud deterrence element. Post offices play a very significant role in terms of the return of unclaimed payments to the State. How much will it cost the State if it loses that fraud deterrence element - if the money just disappears into the ether and is never seen again?

Deputy O'Donovan asked whether An Post challenged the driving licence tender. Companies do not challenge Departments when they issue a tender. No one does that, in either the private or public sector, because it is not permissible to do so. Somebody at Government level signed off on a tender document in respect of a process which we could have done much more efficiently. Why is it that one can renew a passport, which is a more important document, at any post office in the State, but one has to take a day off to renew a driver's licence?

That does not make sense. Somebody sitting in an office somewhere did not realise the solution was in front of them and chose instead an option with which the post office network could not compete. A Government action plan is required. The issue is not solely the responsibility of the Government because the Irish Postmasters Union, An Post and other stakeholders must have an input in the plan. What is clear is that we need a post office network for the future, one which provides the services that people want, when and where they are wanted. While we are prepared to play our part in achieving this, we also need other people to be on the pitch, playing the game.