Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Although it is a matter for the board and management of An Post, it is also a matter for the shareholder, on behalf of the public, which owns it. The Minister is the representative of the shareholders in this matter. There has been reform in this area. The McKinsey report has been completed.

The results of the report were that one mail centre would close. Has the Minister of State discussed this with management of An Post? Has he given any direction to An Post in that regard? What is the Government's preference? What will happen to mail centres such as the one in Portlaoise where 200 people are employed full time and there are hundreds more temporary staff? An additional new facility has been built beside the mail centre and taken over by An Post. It is also available for local distribution. In about two or three months the front door will be on the N80 because of the completion of the orbital route around Portlaoise. It is only 1 km from the N7 and N8 junction and only a couple of hundred metres from a rail connection on the main Dublin-Limerick-Cork railway line. Therefore, it is in a very strategic position. Workers in the company and that centre need certainty.

See this speech in context