Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister knows, I represent the very rural constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. The post office is an integral part of the cultural and social fabric of the constituency. I would like to give the Minister a feel for the concerns of people in this regard. Over 150 people attended a recent public meeting in the small town of Shercock, County Cavan, which is near the border with County Monaghan. It is of the utmost importance to see additional services like community banking being provided in our post offices so that they become more viable and sustainable. It was very interesting to see the demographic attending the public meeting I have mentioned. We have to make sure our post offices function for our young people as well as for older people in rural communities and in society in general. I wonder how the Minister intends to address that. The postmasters and postmistresses are very anxious because they feel they are contending with unfair competition from private courier services. They want to be able to deliver the same type of efficient services through post offices, but they are restricted from doing so. Their hands are tied behind their backs. Does the Minister have any proposals? If our post offices are to survive and to be able to deliver these services, they must have broadband, which we discussed earlier.

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