Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

Is that not a disgraceful situation over which the Minister presides?

Some 400 post offices are still not automated. The Minister must know the fundamental role played by post offices in rural Ireland. As the Irish Farmers' Journal stated in a recent article, the Minister has written the post mortem for rural Ireland in his failure to protect the post office network. Is it not time he produced a Green Paper on the network? He only came up with the energy Green Paper several months ago and the fishing Bill last year. With a few months left to an election, the post office network is disappearing. People are upset and will protest about it outside Leinster House next Tuesday but he has no answers. The Minister claims it is not his responsibility. It is his responsibility and he will be held responsible in 12 weeks time.

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