Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Pringle has set out the situation in so far as Ulster Bank is concerned. Deputy Pringle has not referred to the very substantial rural development programme that has been published by Government across all Departments which includes a direction for the provision of 135,000 jobs, out of 200,000 to be created over the next number of years in areas outside the greater Dublin region, including the Deputy's area.

Deputy Pringle is clear on his remarks about the post offices. The Deputy might like to know that between 2004 and 2010 there were 345 post offices closed. He did not refer to any of those at all. In the past five years, there have been 37 post offices closed. No post office will stay open unless people use it.

The Government has made a decision that there should be basic banking facilities made available in post offices, and we are working on that.

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