Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The issue the Deputy has raised relates, as I understand, to a third party dispute concerning a company contracted to An Post to provide maintenance services at the four An Post mails processing plants.

It would not be appropriate for me to comment on an issue which is an operational matter for the service provider company and which is also being dealt with through the normal industrial relations machinery. Should there be an industrial relations difficulty regarding the provision of services by the service provider to An Post in the future, that would be an operational matter for An Post to manage. In that regard, I understand from An Post that a contingency plan is in place should that eventuality materialise. I would hope, and expect, that all reasonable means will be used by the parties involved in this dispute to bring the matter to a satisfactory resolution as soon as possible. I would not be appropriate for me to comment any further on the matter in these circumstances.

In the wider context, the postal sector is undergoing systemic change with migration towards electronic communications resulting in significant core mail volume decline year on year. Undoubtedly, this trend places pressures on both An Post and its staff. However, it is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company in a position to provide a high quality postal service. In January of this year I appointed Bobby Kerr to chair the Post Office Network Business Development Group in order to ensure the continued viability of the nationwide network of customer focused post offices. The post office network plays an important role in serving the needs of business and domestic customers alike, and this Government is committed to its retention.

Following the recent public consultation on the initial report of the Post Office Network Business Development Group, a total of 16 responses were received. These responses, along with the initial report, are published on my Department's website. The consultation responses will assist the business development group in identifying opportunities that can benefit the post office network and will inform the final report of the group which I expect later in the autumn. It is clear from the responses that were received that there is a strong public desire to maintain the nationwide network of post offices.

With regard to the mails processing plants, I am assured that An Post will ensure that its contingency plan in regard to such plants will be put in place should the eventuality arise that has been raised by the Deputy and that it will endeavour to ensure the ongoing provision of the postal service relied upon by the citizens of the country.

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