Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Rural Independent Group on bringing this motion before the House. I very much welcome it and acknowledge the pivotal and vital role post offices play not just in rural areas but in urban areas also.

It is important that we not only maintain the presence of post offices but ensure that they are supported in setting out a new role for themselves. It is true to say that those working in An Post, and certainly management in An Post as well, are quite keen to forge that new role for post offices.

A number of years ago we had very grand plans in terms of setting up Postbank and for various reasons An Post did not get the required support to do that. That is regrettable. That is particularly regrettable given the recent history of the Irish banking system, which has not covered itself in glory, and played its own part in the significant difficulties this country has faced in recent years. Bearing in mind the kind of bailout the Irish people provided to the banks, they are not seeking to repay that in any way. In fact, it is quite the opposite. We see more and more banks closing down and losing interest in domestic business and only being concerned about business customers. That has had a huge knock-on effect in local communities.

For that reason there is huge potential for post offices and credit unions to provide community banking in local communities but especially in rural areas. We know that when people get money from whatever financial institution, they are highly likely to spend the money there and then in those premises or in other local premises. That is the kind of local business we want to generate in rural areas for domestic customers but also for small and medium enterprises. Our aim should be for self-employed people to have access to financial services locally in their own village or town. There is considerable potential in going forward with such projects.

The Government would be remiss not to avail of that opportunity and to use it as a way of reinvigorating the many towns and villages in rural Ireland which badly need it.

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