John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The other issue in regard to An Post concerns the Post Office Network Business Development Group and the banking issues the financial group is talking about. It is a bit negative or poorly timed that, as the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is considering the future of post offices, the Department of Social Protection is writing to the clients of post offices encouraging them to open a bank account. Is that not robbing the post office of its clients, or an attempt to raid the post office of its clients, at a time when there are two different working committees deciding how best to promote the post office? Is it the case that one arm of the State is raiding the post office while another two arms of the State are attempting to protect, as best they can, the post offices for the future?