Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Chair for this opportunity to contribute to this debate on the future of An Post and the post offices. In the modern age when telephone calls, texts and e-mails outnumber written correspondence we must be vigilant in ensuring and solidifying the position of our rural post offices. I am confident we are making every effort to ensure technology does not prevail over human relationships. The main thrust of this debate last night and today has focused on unautomated rural post offices. Ensuring we have the maximum number of post offices serving our communities across the country is a major issue. An Post has concluded a trial programme in which ten rural post offices have been automated. A decision on further automation of such post offices and the effective automation and the volume of transactions in these post offices will be made soon. It is of the utmost importance to our rural communities that their post offices are automated as a matter of urgency. I refer to recent discussions between public representatives and the community served by Lombardstown post office, which is not yet automated. Only by automating these rural post offices will we ensure their viability. We must ensure the local post office is automated and that rural communities can expect the same level of services from their post offices as urban areas.

To strengthen rural communities post offices across the country need the financial resources for automation. This is an issue not just for the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. If rural post offices are to be automated, funding must be made available from the Departments of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Social and Family Affairs. We have seen post offices close across the country, some of them in the Clár areas designated by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs as disadvantaged. While one arm of the State designates these as disadvantaged communities, another arm of the State withdraws services by the closure of the unautomated post offices. Based on the White Paper on rural development and many reports over the years, it is time for joined-up thinking on providing a wide range of services where groups such as Clár and LEADER are involved in rural communities throughout Ireland. We should ensure there is joined-up thinking on An Post.

From 2001 to 2003 An Post made large losses. Thankfully it has been returned to profit. A large number of issues can be attracted to the post office network. Last night the Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Browne, mentioned statistics on the number of post offices per head of population compared to rural Britain or Europe. We have an extensive network. There is a difficulty and concern about the remuneration received by postmasters and postmistresses. There should be joined-up thinking between the Departments of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Social and Family Affairs. This will be an issue, perhaps in four, five or ten years time. We have seen population increases in rural communities for the first time in nearly 100 years. It would be remiss of us to neglect the post office network that has served this country so well since the foundation of the State and before that. The post offices have made a remarkable contribution and if we allow them to die out, it would be on our heads.

Issues such as AIB and bill payments should be highlighted. Some have said today that it behoves us to go and avail of post office facilities rather than doing transactions by electronic banking. In many of our rural communities the relationship between the rural post office and the local community adds to the spirit of neighbourliness and creates a sense of togetherness. The post office is a focal point in many rural communities and the services it provides cannot be underestimated. The Department is centrally involved in revitalising all our rural communities, making them self-sufficient and fostering a sense of togetherness and neighbourliness. Investment from the Government in the rural post office network would go a long way towards revitalising it. Recipients of social welfare payments are always given the choice of having payments transferred electronically to their bank accounts or paid at the post office. There is a kind of urgency in that Department to move payments from the post office that has to be stopped. We must bring the post office issue back into focus.

In 1994 the rationalisation began with designating a major post office and closing three or four smaller ones around it. That was resisted by communities across the country through organisations such as Save our Rural Post Offices. Thankfully they stood up to An Post and defended rural communities. Otherwise rural post offices would have been decimated. Looking back 40 or 50 years to the advent of the car, railway lines were taken up which we are now replacing.

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