Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I recall an incident in Ballingeary of a post office being shut down. It has reopened within a Spar, I think. I had a particular interest in this because I know the area very well and was trying to see how we could make it work in a village such as Ballingeary, a small village in west Cork. I think the future must be in that post office, retail shop, financial services centre and parcel delivery centre. Particularly in rural Ireland, it is about using the existing distribution network to service all those needs and possibly many others. For example, if there is that network involving someone driving from Macroom to Ballingeary - I am keeping it very local - could that be part of a rural transport system? If there is a van going down a road, why would we not consider it as being part of a rural transport system? If we start thinking that in five or ten years all new vehicles will have a dual capability of carrying passengers as well as parcels, it starts making-----