Noel O'Flynn (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am concerned about the future. An Post has a reasonably good board and management team and a dedicated workforce which is fully committed to the company. Everyone involved is willing and able to meet the challenges of liberalisation which will come about in 2009.

I am sure the company will improve its next-day delivery service. A previous speaker referred to a level of 74% in this regard. I agree that this is not acceptable. The figure for the United Kingdom is between 93% and 94%.

I do not have a single complaint to make against post office workers in Cork. They are superb people who deliver the post — hail, rain or snow. They never let one down. It is unusual for anyone to be let down by them and I am sure that goes for their counterparts.

See this speech in context