Mr. Sean Martin:

It has been acknowledged by all parties, that the post office is a State asset, run by An Post but overseen by this Government. In our understanding, past and present, the Government is undermining the network by encouraging our customer to transact their business through the bank. We have examples of numerous letter, and I can show members five, six, seven letters issued by this and the past Government which have encouraged people to use the banks over the post office network. If that continues, the post office network collapses because as Mr. Daly has said, most of the income that is earned by the post office network to deliver the service of social welfare is fundamental to underpinning the network. If one takes the foundations out from the post office network, which is the Department of Social Protection and continues to encourage the clients to get the money lodged to a bank account, the onus is on the Government to ensure that does not happen. If that continues to happen, the post office network will not survive. Our intention is to be able to deliver a Government service. We have said, and we continue to say that we can be the State at your doorstep. People have said there is no requirement for face to face service any more. I think there is and we believe there is a requirement for face to face contact, particularly in regard to Government services. More and more people request the help of the TD to fill out forms and accessing services. I think that can be done by the post office network in a cost-effective way, and in a way that every community needs and survives because of it.