Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

As Minister, I have a responsibility to this House and to the public to ensure we have a postal service that works well into the future.

When one spells out realities, it is sometimes difficult for people to accept that one is doing anything other than issuing threats. In response to a query about what would happen in the event that a resolution could not be found and the postal service were to grind to a halt for an indeterminable period, I simply answered that another postal service would have to be provided. This development is already happening in any event. The liberalisation of the market will take place by 2009. The report by Mr. Paddy Walley for the CWU recognised that there are archaic work practices in An Post. We should not fool ourselves in this regard. There is a problem in the company and it will not be solved by either side refusing to change. In fairness, both sides have indicated in the last week to ten days that they are prepared to work towards a resolution.

I did not try to portray the post office workers as lazy, pampered or unproductive. I did not blackguard them.

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