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

I thank Deputy Carey for his engagement with me and my officials in respect of this important matter. It is important that we get the message out to people that they need to use their post offices in order to support the network as we roll out services. An Post, which is an independent, commercial, semi-State company, has a strategy and a mandate to ensure that there is increased services and that it helps the post office network to get these services on board. That is its role. Representatives from An Post will come before the committee in the next few weeks. It is important that the committee asks them about the company's plans to support the services and to help postmasters and the network to grow.

The interdepartmental group was looking at offline services and what different Departments could provide in regard to such services. It was clear to me when I became Minister of State that that alone was not going to keep the network of 900 post offices throughout the country open. That is why we needed this financial support. In the meantime, we need to look at taking a cross-Government approach in order to identify potential offline services that An Post would bid for. They would be put out to public procurement, and it would be up to different agencies to pitch for them. This is why it is important that when An Post comes before the committee, members talk about the importance of it bidding for these potential services in order that, according to its mandate and strategy, it will help to grow the network.

The Department of Transport has identified motor tax as a potential service that could be provided. The Revenue Commissioners have also outlined a number of services to be looked at.

These are being fleshed out the moment.

The Department of Social Protection is also considering some services. This needs to be driven by the Government rather than just the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. This is the problem. We have a Town Centre First strategy, which I know the Deputy is very aware of because he comes from a rural constituency. How do we ensure that our villages and towns thrive? The post office will be a key part of that but we need to make sure that every single Department is looking at potential offline services. Online services should also be considered. It is part of An Post's remit to look at online services. It is important that we work across Government in that regard. It is a work in progress. This is giving the post offices and the postmasters breathing space. An Post has a very significant role to play here because it is part of its mandate and strategy to ensure the network grows. We had the census recently. That will shed new light on where people are living and on remote working. Many people have gone back to their home towns and home villages. New light will be shed on the services that people now require in their local areas and where these services are required.