Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Post offices play a crucial role in the social and economic life of our communities throughout Ireland. Recently, we have seen the closure of small shops, schools, Garda stations and other community focus points, particularly in the rural areas. Post offices are the largest retail network in the country, with 1,150 post offices employing 3,700 people. Some 1,100 of those post offices are operated by postmasters who are locally based small and medium businesses providing employment, facilitating economic activity and providing community engagement. There is a world class IT structure in place in these post offices, which is technically capable of being of the same quality as what is in place in the GPO in Dublin. That spells out that they could offer the same services as those provided in the central post offices. Also, 1,7 million customers avail of the services of post offices each week.

Recently, we have seen thousands of letters coming out from the office of the Tánaiste's and Minister for Social Protection encouraging people to change from their post office financial services to the banks. That will have a major detrimental effect-----

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