Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have 49 seconds so here we go. I reiterate the points already made. As a rural Deputy, I know the important part the post office plays in rural communities. It is not just a financial resource; it also plays a social part, particularly for older people. It is not only those who want to collect their pension on a Friday but for those who want to meet next door neighbours and people they might not see from one end of the week to the next.

It is important to remember also that only a small number of post offices have closed in the past couple of years. We now have a roadmap for the future on where the post office service is going and we need to give the people of Ireland, particularly those in rural Ireland, an opportunity to go to post offices. They need an incentive so they are not just going for financial reasons. Deputy Griffin mentioned other perspectives, including tourism. It is important to point out that we now have a roadmap for the continuation of the post office system in Ireland. We know where we are going and I hope over time the post office system will develop further.

See this speech in context