Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy very much for her good wishes. I am glad to be back on questions that I understand.

A Programme for a Partnership Government made a number of commitments in regard to the post office network that were assigned to my Department. The commitments in question have now been completed or are significantly advanced. Following an extensive deliberations process, I presented the final report of the post office hub working group to the Government in March. This report examined the potential for post offices to act as hubs of economic and social activity, particularly in rural communities, and recommended that a project to test the concept of shared-value co-located post offices should be piloted, initially at four locations.

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There have been a number of developments in relation to postal services generally since A Programme for a Partnership Government was agreed last May, including the commissioning by An Post of a root and branch review of the company. By and large, this has overtaken the work of the post office network renewal board, which reported its findings to An Post in December last year.

Overall responsibility for the postal sector, including the governance of An Post, falls within the remit of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment and, in light of developments in the sector, it has been agreed that all aspects of the postal services, including the post office network, should transfer to the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. It will be a matter for that Minister’s Department to oversee the future direction of An Post and the post office network. However, my Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment where necessary to support the post office network in rural communities.

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