Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Tá áthas orm deis a fháil chun labhairt ar an rún fíorthábhachtach seo maidir le na hoifigí poist. The current plan for rationalising post offices is an extremely blunt instrument. No consideration has been given to rural proofing, social and economic grounds, the exact and central locations of post offices or those who do not have transport available to them. Even the population calculations are based on settlements rather than population. Like Deputy Pearse Doherty, I attended numerous meetings in County Donegal in the past few weeks that were attended by hundreds of people. There are a lot more than 500 people in each and every one of the areas affected. It was contrived. The settlement pattern was used to try to ensure all of the post offices could be contracted based on a figure above 500. The majority of areas in my county have a population well in excess of 500.

The timing of the announcement was despicable. The Minister may not know but An Post decided, in conjunction with someone else, to make it when the Dáil was in recess. It was a time when there would be the least publicity, which meant that it might have gone under the radar, but my goodness, it did not. County Donegal has been extremely hard hit. Who took the decision? It was not made according to any objective analysis. It forced postmasters and postmistresses to take a decision. I believe we must go back to the drawing board. My party is happy to support having a public service obligation that might cost in the region of €8 million to ensure we will have a continuation of the excellent services that have been provided during the years. Those who have been made an offer it are quite entitled to take it, but a decision must be taken on co-location and to immediately reduce many of the overheads that are part of the losses by 50%.

See this speech in context