Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Stanley for bringing this motion forward. All rural Deputies are very taken by this debate because we know the consequences of the closure of a post office for a small village. If one closes the post office, then one effectively closes the village's only pub and shop. The knock-on effect is quite significant. This is all done in the name of viability with the claim these post offices are no longer viable. This wonderful word is being used by An Post and by the Government. What about social viability? What about viability for the elderly people who live in rural communities?

During the week I was with Deputies Michael and Danny Healy-Rae at a meeting about the closure of the post office in Ballinskelligs. It is 14 miles away from Cahersiveen on a peninsula. Nearly 400 people attended the meeting and they knew about the viability of their post office. The post office in Mastergeehy will also be closed, meaning the two post offices in the only Gaeltacht area in south Kerry will be shut. That is a nice statement to those trying to promote the Irish language and ensure it survives. They are also doing a good job at it. It was heartening to see the conversation at that meeting both as Gaeilge and through English. The closure of the post offices in Ballinskelligs, Mastergeehy, Ballylongford and Moyvane will have a knock-on effect. Up to 16 post offices are due to close in Kerry because of this great word "viability".

Deputy Healy spoke about the motion on post offices passed in 2016. That motion is not worth the paper it is written on because neither the Government, nor its partner in government, Fianna Fáil, have done anything about its implementation. This is another failing of the political establishment in the State.

What can be done for the survival of post offices? Community banking and ensuring social welfare payments are paid out through the network have been mentioned. In 2011, Deputy Ó Snodaigh called on the Minister to use the post office network to pay for all 80,000 State community scheme payments. If this happened, it would have an effect on ensuring their survival.

It is in the hands of the Minister and Fianna Fáil to ensure our post offices are protected

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