Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In recent days, an agreement was reached between the Irish Postmasters Union and An Post on the future of our post office network. As I could be perceived to have a conflict of interest in this matter, I note for the record that I am the proprietor of a small post office in a rural area. In addition, I wish to place on record my appreciation and gratitude to the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, who has been diligent in his work on our post offices, and others. However, I wish to highlight what is actually happening. In the county I represent, we do not have many post offices. Of those we do, 26 have received letters informing them of an offer to close their doors. This has happened on foot of inaction on the part of this and previous Governments, which have failed to support our post office network despite a commitment to do so in their programmes for Government. The value of An Post's contract in respect of social welfare payments has decreased from €60 million to €51 million and continues to decline.

Some of the post offices which have been offered compensation packages to close may accept them because the postmasters feel they have no choice. The communities served by these post offices include among their members community activists and leaders. Post offices in east Kerry, mid-Kerry, north Kerry, south Kerry and west Kerry, along with post offices throughout the rest of Ireland, have been notified of the offer to close but the communities involved do not yet know about it. Post offices which have not been told that they can close have been offered a contract, signing which would be akin to signing one's own death warrant. I have studied the contract. One would want to be a barrister to read it given the extent of what it involves. Ultimately, it means that people will have to work for far less remuneration while their prospects for the future diminish over the next three years. I have always used the following figure since I entered the House. Unless serious action is taken by Government, 700 post offices could close.

I acknowledge the work of Deputy Dooley, who met even yesterday with representatives from An Post. His timing is very good. He has been diligent about his work as Opposition spokesman and very vocal on the issue. However, there has been a very serious result. Neither the package to close nor the contract is any good. The Government will have to take on board the problems we have if we are to have any hope of saving the majority of the network.

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