Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Ryan is right that we need to exploit technology and see what new innovative services we can provide through An Post. I take the point he makes regarding transport services. Any colleagues here that have stopped and met with any of the postmen or postwomen over the past six months, who look into the van, will see that there is not much space for passengers because thankfully those vans are now full because of the expansion of the parcel delivery service. The fact is that we have a van every day going to every single home in Ireland, and we need to see how we can fully exploit that. That is what the company is examining at the moment.

With regard to Government services, I will read a sentence which goes back to 1997, saying, in government, "[We will] begin an energetic programme of localisation of state services that are now provided centrally. We will aim to make the computerised local post office a one-stop shop for most state services, and bring as much administration as possible down to the regional and county level." An Post, the postmasters and the politicians have been looking at this issue at least since 1997. Anyone who fairly looks at this will see that it is since my appointment as Minister that we have been making progress, hopefully significant progress.

With regard to community banking, An Post will provide a community banking service across the country. That is a very positive development. It is willing to engage with anyone in this area. It is a bit disingenuous that people continue to ignore a very successful community banking model that we have in this country that has been developed and expanded all over the world. That is the credit union model. I cannot understand why we continually ignore a model that is here and has successfully worked. How can we engage with the credit union movement to better develop and enhance that service?