Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kitt for his additional comments on this very important matter. I share the Deputy's views about the importance of the post office network and the affection with which it is regarded, especially by small communities in provincial and rural areas. I assure the Deputy that An Post will continue in its endeavours to retain and obtain business opportunities for the network, having due regard to competition and public procurement requirements, as appropriate. I am due to meet An Post tomorrow afternoon and the issues the Deputy raised will form part of the agenda for my discussions with it.

The post office network needs to attract business but that business and activity must have real substance to it. It cannot be contrived. I want to see Departments participating in this, as they have done, and other agencies of the State participating as well. I also want to see An Post and the post office network reaching out for new commercial opportunities so that they can attract business. That is the critical aspect of this. They can pull in business from the private commercial sector as well as from the public sector, Departments and other agencies, to which the Deputy referred. These are important matters.

An Post has advised me that there are approximately 90 post offices in County Galway. There have been a number of changes in recent months, to which the Deputy referred. There are risks, worries and concerns but relatively few post offices have closed since this Government came into office three and a half years ago. A great deal more closures took place in the period of time prior to that but we are doing our best, working with the Deputy, to ensure this issue is brought forward in a satisfactory way.

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