Mr. Sean Martin:

It is becoming more and more difficult to attract people because the figures just do not add up. It is becoming less viable, even as an alternative with regard to the shop. People look at it in terms of the responsibilities they would have and the revenue they would get from it. I can make more selling ice cream and coffee than the return I would get if I put a post office in a shop and took on all the responsibilities around that. It is becoming more and more difficult. That is a decision for the Government. The Government needs to decide whether we want to keep post offices and, as Deputy Murphy said, we want to keep social cohesion going. There is a cost to that. That cost of €15 million is very reasonable. Is it value for money? Yes. Can the post office deliver more? Yes. Again, that matter is in the remit of the Government. Much of what we are speaking about relates to whether the Government is prepared to stand up and deliver for post offices. More important, is it prepared to deliver for communities?