Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Tóibín is a good chairman of the regional development committee and when An Post representatives appeared before it, they said they hoped to have the basic payment account open in the first quarter of next year. I welcome that because that is vital. It is important that the network has the cards and people will be able to use them. They are also talking about doing deals with other commercial companies but I will not go into that now. The delivery of services such as motor taxation will be vital. We will revive as many post offices as possible and put any other government business we can their way. An Post stated at the committee that 500 post offices are currently not viable. Everybody is working to try to make as many of them as viable as possible. I do not know how many we can save. I will do everything in my power. I am only trying to support the post offices in every way I can and I hope the post offices, An Post and the Government will all respond to see what we can do to save them.

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