Séamus Healy (Tipperary, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion, which I support, and commend the rural Independents for bringing it forward. I sponsored a very similar motion during the term of the previous Dáil but unfortunately, despite no less than two Grant Thornton reports, an Oireachtas committee report and a report from the Post Office Network Business Development Group, little or no progress has been made in securing the future of the post office network.

A viable, progressive and sustainable post office network is a cornerstone for social and economic development in our communities. If an action plan for the post office network is not implemented immediately, Grant Thornton has stated that approximately 500 post offices will close. That would be horrendous and it cannot be allowed.

All the reports I have mentioned pointed out the essential elements needed to maintain and expand the services and the network. These include: prioritising and increasing the use of the post office network for social welfare payments; providing a community banking service in all post offices to ensure that post offices act as a one-stop-shop for all Government services; providing a once-off capital injection to modernise the post office network; and ensuring that any and all tendering for services must be done not just on the basis of economic criteria but also on social criteria.

We have had enough reports and recommendations. What we need now is for the Government to put its money where its mouth is and take immediate steps to save the post office network. Furthermore, the Minister should forget the mad notion of the mobile post offices.

See this speech in context