Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Section 4 in the programme for Government, on pages 41 to 52, refers to the ambition for new partnership Government. It speaks of measures to revitalise all Ireland in order that benefits are felt in all communities. Villages are a top priority for the new dedicated Minister. It goes on to refer to supporting a post office network renewal process.

When will the McKinsey report, being undertaken by An Post in term of rural post offices, be finished? As of yesterday, An Post was not in a position to put a timeframe on it? What will the Government do, given it seems the Minister has no statutory function in deciding what post office closes or opens? It would be different for Garda stations, as we know from the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross.

I want to know what is going to happen. In my constituency, we have Ballygawley and, most recently, Easkey, but there are ones in every constituency and county that effectively are on death row with people wondering whether their local service will close.

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