Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is the Minister's responsibility to govern for all communities, not just the strongest or luckiest ones. That is what is happening now. It is the strongest and the luckiest that are retaining their post office services. Those which are neither strong or lucky are losing theirs. It is the Government's responsibility to ensure Ireland is not just an economy and to consider the fundamental societal issues this raises. It is not an issue which can be resolved through industrial relations and the retirement of postmasters and postmistresses. That is a very unfair way to deliver the Minister's plan. While 159 have opted to go and 231 have not, all 339 were encouraged to go and will continue to be encouraged to go until they are all gone. There is no guarantee that the 690 post offices which are being offered new contracts will take them up. It is a very unfair way to deliver a post office service.

A Programme for a Partnership Government committed to the exact opposite course to the one the Government is taking. There is no reference in that programme to the closure of 390 post offices. There was a commitment, rather, to support the post office network, provide it with extra services and develop community banking. However, the Government has gone in the opposite direction and against A Programme for a Partnership Government.

We will table an amendment to the motion to propose that our motion of November 2016 be implemented.

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