Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was as surprised as the Deputies to see copies of the letter. It is important to point out a working group has been established under the stewardship of Bobby Kerr. When I received a copy of the letter the first thing I did was go to the working group because it includes representatives from the Irish Postmasters Union and various stakeholders with an interest in pulling together a plan for the long-term sustainability and viability of post offices. Progress has been made and good work has been done by the group. There is good, open and honest conversation. I cannot say what the outcomes will be at this early stage because a report will issue shortly on the actions of the group. The Government has made a decision to work proactively across Departments to examine how all Departments can work together, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Social Protection, to lend their weight to the sustainability and viability of post offices.

I sit on the working group and I take this very seriously. It is important to point out that while the script states this was a trial, as far as I am concerned every Department must be on the same wavelength as the interdepartmental decision to ensure the long-term sustainability and viability of post offices. As I stated several weeks ago, and Deputy Moynihan was in the Chamber when I did so, Friday at the post office on Tory Island is the only day when people meet, and the post office in any rural area provides an opportunity for people to meet. The Government is working towards this.

The Deputies have raised important issues. I have taken this matter seriously. It has been raised at the working group and is being taken seriously at that level. The message today must feed into the Government decision that each Department is on the same wavelength in terms of the long-term sustainability of post offices. Perhaps banking in post offices is an option. We can be critical of what happened with these letters, but they did not suggest that people change from post offices. It was not mandatory or prescriptive, but it is information in black and white and I accept this. It is important the issue has been raised at this juncture with regard to the working group. It is also important to point out each Department must be on the same wavelength with regard to where we are going. The Government is taking this seriously and it is important we continue in this vein.

See this speech in context