Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, I am responsible for the postal sector, including the governance of An Post, to ensure that the company is fully compliant with the code of practice and governance of State bodies and the governance functions included in the statutory framework underpinning An Post. Operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for the post office network are matters for the board and management of An Post. As Minister, I do not have a statutory function in respect of such matters. Consequently, measures to maintain, enhance and diversify the post office network are matters for An Post. The Post Office Network Business Development Group was established at the end of 2014 by the then Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to explore the potential for commercial and additional Government services which could be transacted through the post office network. I was one of the five Members of the House who made a submission to that group at the time. Following the publication of the final report of this group in January 2016, two working groups were established to make progress with the recommendations of the report, namely, the network renewal implementation group, chaired by Mr. Bobby Kerr, and the post office hub working group, chaired by the then Minister of State, Deputy Ring.

On foot of a reconfiguration of Government Departments in July of last year, responsibility for the post office network transferred to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. When the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs published the final report of the post office hub working group in March of this year, it outlined that it is pursuing the possible opportunities for the network to provide services such as community banking and motor tax renewal. Arrangements are in hand to reassign responsibility for the post office network to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in light of its overall responsibility for An Post. The recommendations of the post office hub working group will continue to be finalised between both Departments. I understand that the report of the network renewal implementation group, which was undertaken by Mr. Bobby Kerr on behalf of An Post, is under consideration by An Post. The policy of the Government is that An Post should remain a strong and viable company that is in a position to provide a high-quality nationwide postal service and to maintain a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community.

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