Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

There continues to be a key national role for An Post, both in delivery of mail and as a quality service provider through its nationwide network of post office outlets. The market for traditional postal and post office services is changing globally and meeting customer needs has become more important than ever. In order to remain competitive, An Post needs to make the best possible use of its long established and trusted brand name and deploy its resources in a manner which continues to serve existing customers' needs and attracts additional customers for a range of new services.

There is agreement that change is required if the postal services of An Post are to adapt to the modern business environment. To develop an agenda for change, an exhaustive process of negotiation between An Post management and trades unions, with the assistance of the State's industrial relations machinery, has been ongoing for some time. In an effort to resolve all remaining difficulties on collection and delivery arrangements, the outstanding issues are currently being dealt with in the Labour Court with a view to agreeing a way forward that will see the company placed on a secure financial footing. I have continuously emphasised the need for all stakeholders in the company to work together in a partnership approach and to utilise the industrial relations mechanisms of the State, where necessary, in order to agree and implement a strategy to return the company to financial stability.

This Government and the board of An Post are committed to the objective of securing a viable and sustainable nationwide post office network as set out in the programme for Government. Notwithstanding the commercial remit of An Post, there is a clear Government recognition of the social benefits of maintaining the nationwide post office network. Accordingly, An Post development strategies for the network continue to take full account of these social benefits. I met with representatives of the Irish Postmasters Union and I listened to their views with interest. I also emphasised to An Post management the importance of developing a long-term strategy for the network. The challenge for the company is to develop a strategy that satisfies the needs of existing customers, while attracting new customers into the post office.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

An Post has already had some success in winning new business and continues to benefit from a considerable amount of Government business, especially in the areas of social welfare payments and savings products. To ensure that our post offices remain attractive to customers, An Post must upgrade IT systems in order to offer an enhanced suite of financial and other services and high grade EFT functionality to social welfare customers via post offices. Pending the implementation of new IT upgrades, I have agreed with the Minister for Social and Family Affairs that, for the moment, all payment options will receive equal standing on social welfare forms and that the Department of Social and Family Affairs will not actively push EFT for social welfare clients. In addition, a pilot project will see a number of small post offices computerised.

On the matter of post office closures, it is only when a suitable candidate for a vacancy cannot be found or where there are no applicants, that a post office is closed.

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