Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

How many post offices have closed since the Minister came into office in the past 16 months? In view of what the Minister said about expanding the new financial services initiatives, how can that be delivered if post offices are closing month by month and the network is getting smaller, having been decimated since 1990? It plays a very important role in rural life. Everybody welcomes the resolution of the dispute. Part of the resolution, dating from when the Minister came to office, was that the Minister would bring forward the miscellaneous provisions Bill in respect of the ESOP provisions. Will the Minister bring back that legislation given that it was on the clár of the Dáil for years?

ComReg said only 71% of letters are delivered next day as against the target of 94%. Is the embargo on recruitment which An Post management implemented approximately 18 months ago still in force? It means that for several weeks in recent months towns such as Asbourne, in the Minister's constituency, have had no post.

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