Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I thank the large number of Deputies who contributed to this debate, in particular those Deputies who chose to speak on this subject in making their maiden speeches in the House. It shows the extent of affection there is for An Post and the high regard for its workforce in terms of the service they deliver daily, often in adverse circumstances. I share that high regard for An Post and its workforce and acknowledge the role An Post and post offices play in rural communities. If the social role played by the postman is not his or her primary function it is, nonetheless, an important one, which I accept.

A number of Deputies appear to have confused liberalisation with privatisation and seemed to draw the conclusion that we are heading inexorably towards privatisation, which is most emphatically not the case. There is no proposals to privatise An Post. This legislation bears no connection good, bad or indifferent to the proposals we are awaiting from Mr. McCarthy in respect of State companies. We recognise the strategic importance that the postal sector plays and the central role played by An Post to date. However, it is true, as most Deputies have acknowledged, that the postal service is changing and that An Post is confronting a number of significant challenges, not least that of electronic substitution, with which we must deal. There is not much point in my being dragged into a major debate here about the nature of the European Union and the primacy it attaches to deregulation or whether deregulation is always suitable in every sector in every country. I am merely charged with the transposition of the third directive. That is my main task.

Deputies have stated that no changes have been made. I cannot make changes to the Bill until Committee Stage. I have already signalled that I will bringing forward a number of amendments on Committee Stage, some of which I hope will address some of the issues raised by colleagues across the House who have contributed to this debate. It is hoped Committee Stage will provide us with an opportunity to debate the Bill in more detail. Colleagues on both sides of the House have asked that Committee Stage of the Bill be taken when the committees are established rather than in the House. I am happy to facilitate that.

I thank all Deputies who contributed to this debate.

I have noted their concerns regarding the sustainability of the universal service obligation and I am happy we can deal with that. There is no question of creating a two tier postal system divided between rural and urban Ireland. That is not the objective; rather, it is merely to implement the directive. I hope some of the Members opposite can table amendments on Committee stage, when we will examine the Bill section by section, regarding weaknesses they see in the Bill. I am grateful to the House for facilitating the passage of the Bill on Second Stage.

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