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

The Government is committed to the retention of the post offices. That is why we have a business development group and why Mr. Bobby Kerr was appointed. However, there is no point having a group if one does not do anything with it. Mr. Kerr and all the members of the group are intent on putting proposals to Government, because it has to feed back in and those proposals must be tangible. Deputy Pringle is correct that the letters issuing from the Department of Social Protection eroded confidence in the future viability of post offices and created difficulties, and we need to be united. It needs to be a Government approach. The Government commitment is there and it is about following through on the commitment. That can only be done by having proposals, listing them and stating where we will follow through.

That is also subject to procurement. Government cannot provide all these services merely by stating it is providing them. There are difficulties, and the House will be aware of the difficulties that arose with a certain service that is being rolled out at present.

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