Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On a point of order, I understand the health committee under Deputy Michael Harty was having that discussion today, with it having been brought forward by five weeks. We all want to support Vera Twomey.

Sa programme Rialtais, gealladh lán-chabhair do na hoifigí poist ar fud na tíre. As the Taoiseach knows, bhí scéal sa pháipéar maidin inniu about 80 post offices that might go under the Kerr report. The Rural Independent Group had a motion in the House some weeks ago and we spent a long weekend negotiating with the Taoiseach's office, the Minister of State, Deputy Ring's office and the Minister, Deputy Naughten's office to agree that motion. We were grateful and we submitted it, and the Government supported it and allowed it through. How can it happen, some short number of weeks afterwards, that a selective leak can come out just days after the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, announced last Friday he was going to have a consultation about how community banking could be rolled out in the post offices? Tá ceist mór anseo. We need action. We on this side of the House cannot be used in this way. The Rural Independent Group wants to support rural post offices. The Government accepted the motion but then we have this kind of balderdash coming out in the newspapers this morning.

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