Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications

Sustainability of Post Office Network: An Post

10:50 am

Photo of Michael MoynihanMichael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

An Post has two strengths - the network and the trust the public has in it. After Mr. Sheehan's brief exchange with the Chairman, I am even more fearful. It is very worrying if the management of An Post think, in their wisdom, that having PostPoint in Tesco or any other retail outfit is not going to cannibalise the network and they will stop the trial if this happens. The dogs on the street would realise that if An Post is going to proceed with the trials, which were not mentioned in the opening remarks, it will cannibalise them. That is common sense. Regarding changing the way people do business, and the Chairman alluded to this, putting the points in Tesco, SuperValu or any other places will pull them away from the existing networks. It is so fundamental to our communities, both urban and rural that there should be a provision put into An Post that the networks must be maintained. Then, maybe, An Post might go after the business to maintain these post offices.

When was the last time An Post did a huge media advertising campaign on what is available in the post offices, rural or urban? I want to know not just about the investments but about what is available in the average post office throughout the country. The witnesses have outlined what they are doing regarding discussions with banks, financial institutions and utility companies etc. to bring the message in there. There is a serious issue with marketing. The witnesses have talked about communities losing their post offices and family members not taking them up and the policies. The perception out there is that there is no attempt by An Post management to say we have these retail outlets and strengths, we can lose them and bring it all back to base, or we can go out and source business for these retail outlets. There are many companies out there that would die for An Post's retail outlets.

What is An Post's policy on parcel deliveries? Some parcel delivery companies have come in behind An Post. It beggars belief that the witnesses can come here and tell us that the trials with Tesco or others will not have a detrimental effect on the retail outlets. The dogs on the street would see that as a threat. Whatever the trials will be, if that is the route An Post wants to take it will be the death knell. An Post must be honest with the people. It is high time that An Post was directed to maintain the existing network. Then, maybe, the management of An Post would go after the business to maintain these post office because there is plenty of business to maintain them.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.