Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Item No. 3 is An Post. I take the opportunity to welcome all our witnesses here this afternoon. The committee has decided to consider the following matters at our meeting today: policy issues arising from the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2016; and the report of the post office network business development group and the implementation group. The committee is very aware of the urgency of these matters.

I welcome the witnesses we have with us today from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. They are Ms Patricia Cronin, assistant secretary, and Ms Barbara Leeson, principal officer. From the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, we have Mr. William Parnell, assistant secretary, and Dr. Stjohn O'Connor, principal officer. From the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, we have Mr. Kevin O'Brien, commissioner, and Mr. George Merrigan, director of market framework. From the post office network business development group, we have the chairman, Mr. Bobby Kerr. From An Post, we have Mr. David McRedmond, chief executive officer. In attendance from Age Action Ireland Limited is Mr. Justin Moran, head of advocacy. From the Communication Workers Union, we have Mr. Steve Fitzpatrick, general secretary, and Mr. Ian McArdle, head of regulation. From the Irish Postmasters' Union, we have Mr. Ned O'Hara, general secretary, and Mr. Paddy McCann, president, and from Tico Mail Works Limited, we have Mr Alex Pigot, chairman and managing director, and Mr. Michael O'Dwyer, adviser to the managing director.

Opening statements have been circulated to all our members. I propose that the main witnesses will speak for five minutes each followed by a question and answer session not exceeding three minutes. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The first witness is from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Ms Patricia Cronin.