Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We do recognise that. That is why we put together this group to see what are the best steps that can be taken to ensure the post office network actually survives. It should survive and there is every reason it will survive.

The Department of Social Protection contract for cash payments to welfare customers is for a minimum period of two years and may be extended up to the end of December 2019. The Department intends to move to e-payments for most social welfare clients in the medium term. Part of this process involves undertaking an e-payment procurement and An Post could pitch for this business. It is not possible to be definitive at this stage but the value of the contract will more than likely be less than the value of the current contract. Processing e-payments is cheaper than cash transactions.

These are difficult dilemmas. Does one introduce new technologies that are more efficient overall? I can see there are competing imperatives in this case. We want to keep the post office network but we need it to be efficient. We want to expand broadband in rural villages and towns. As Deputy Moynihan said, there is frustration that it has not being done quickly enough. We have to find a way for the post office network to co-exist with the new technologies people use in their homes and to deal with the change in the pattern of retail behaviour which the Deputy must see himself in County Wexford.

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