Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

I am totally confused by this Bill. It is not that I do not understand the language used in it; I do as it is fairly clear. As I understand it our current postal service is highly regarded. I know that is the case in my area. It is regarded as a reliable and confidential service which provides good employment for the thousands of people working therein. People regard it as a good service which operates at no cost to the taxpayer. My understanding is that our postal service is provided at no cost to the taxpayer. It is universally acknowledged that we have a good service that is valued by the public. It is a service which the people do not have to support by way of taxation, although I am sure they have paid down through the decades for the development of the infrastructure for the postal service. What confuses me is why we now want to allow the vultures of privatisation to get their claws into it. I cannot figure that out. Regardless of how long I remain a Member of this House, I will never figure it out.

One does not need a crystal ball to know what is going to happen. Private companies will sign up to provide a service throughout the country in whole or part or, in one of the provinces, taking on staff whom they will probably pay the minimum wage. When they realise their shareholders are not getting enough profit from the business they will put it to the regulator that it is not financially viable for them to run the service for the country or province as a whole or in part and will seek to only provide the service in built up urban areas, leaving somebody to pay for a reduced service, perhaps in rural areas. That somebody will inevitably be the taxpayer.

I cannot figure out why we are proposing to ditch a good service which does not cost the taxpayer anything in favour of a service that will inevitably cost the taxpayer money and will be disjointed in different parts of the country. Have we learned nothing? I believe that a few weeks ago members of this Government would have been vociferously against this Bill. Have we now taken on the mantle of protectors and promoters of privateers? Is private profit more important than the interests of the people and taxpayers of this country? To whose charter are we working in this regard? Is this a charter for the people or the privateers? Who is instructing us to do this? If this is an EU instruction then let us be more accurate in our language when speaking about the EU. Let us stop using the term our "EU partners" and use instead the phrase "EU masters".

I do not believe any Minister or Government should be bullied or forced by anyone or any body to make a decision which is wrong for the people and taxpayers of this country. The Minister knows that this Bill fits within that category. Sinn Féin will be voting against this Bill. It was wrong in its conception and drafting and is wrong in terms of its implementation. It will provide for a poorer service at cost to the taxpayer.

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