John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ms O'Donoghue and her officials are welcome. I will start with the post office network and the Department's interactions and relationship with it. This has received some media attention recently, specifically because the Department has begun writing to recipients of social welfare inviting them to consider a transfer directly to their bank accounts. As Ms O'Donoghue is aware, there is a current political issue with regard to the post office network and the estimate of how many post offices will be shut down within the coming years. As more social welfare payments are made electronically, the throughput reduces for post offices as does the associated financial bottom line.

Those of us on the committee are in a funny position. I am asking Ms O'Donoghue about this, but it is really a balance. Those of us on the committee are in a situation where we must ask and expect Departments to find cost cutting or savings within their budgets and value for money for all citizens. At the same time, there is considerable political rhetoric when it comes to saving post offices, particularly in rural Ireland. On the one hand, we are constantly trying to save money in an environment where there is not as much money going around as there was five or six years ago, but, at the same time, there is a constant campaign to preserve post offices throughout the country.

Having said all that, I have looked at the figures when it comes to cash payment versus the electronic payment. The ratio is approximately 10:1. I can understand why the Department would go down that route if it was simply based on finances alone and the cost savings involved. Is there not a balance to be met, however, when it comes to Government, on the one hand, looking for those savings but, at the same time, having a responsibility to ensure that post offices are maintained and the network is maintained as much as possible, for obvious reasons? I will start with that.