Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Social welfare is still the biggest component of the post office. Ms Byrne might comment on An Post bank accounts and where broadband might leave the organisation. This may not concern her section, but in less than two years' time, there will be local elections, and at some point there will be a general election. I know a lot of people who would love if An Post could work out geofencing per local electoral area, LEA, whereby if someone were running for election in Stillorgan, Dún Laoghaire or Blackrock, he or she could pay An Post to drop a leaflet to every house in that area, including the ones that say "no junk mail". I do not believe that facility exists whereby it is mapped by local electoral area. If it were done, an awful lot of candidates and parties would be willing to sign up to a reputable leaflet company that would deliver per area, including to the houses that state "no junk mail". In my opinion, a political leaflet, regardless of the party, is not junk mail but rather is a way of communicating with people and getting a message across. It is almost impossible to get leaflets distributed in any other way and there is a massive market, with 949 local authority seats and probably quadruple that in terms of candidates. An awful lot of people, if it were a competitively priced product, would be willing to pay An Post to know the leaflet would be dropped into every house in the area. This might not be under Ms Byrne's control but she may wish to comment on it nonetheless.