Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The question seeks to establish the Minister's vision for the future of the post office network. The Bobby Kerr report set out an action plan that did that to secure the future of the post office network. The only thing on which the Minister could be complimented is his knee-jerk reaction to An Post's calls for increased funds. On this occasion the €30 million of Government intervention by way of a loan is nothing more than a job loss announcement dressed up as some new departure. There is nothing in today's announcement to provide for the future security and viability of the post office network. The moneys that are being provided by way of a loan will be used to create a redundancy fund for those working in the mails business and will be used to pension off postmasters. I accept that postmasters who have come to the end of their working lives should be provided for at an appropriate level in their retirement, but that cannot be used as a ruse to close post offices. Post offices are more than the postmasters and postmistresses. They provide a valuable service to communities. If they are not financially viable in the short term, the State must intervene and provide State funds on a recurring basis to ensure the service is protected. That was what we needed to hear from the Minister today, in line with the recommendations of the Kerr report, but it was not there.

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