Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important matter. Along with my colleagues, I am disappointed that the Minister, Deputy Bruton, is not present. He is in hiding. The Minister of State is newly reappointed. I mean nothing personal, but sending him in here with a script is a disgrace. The Minister is hiding behind the board of An Post.

This is a reckless decision. The people of Thurles have supported the post office's current location in Liberty Square for decades. The House has heard about the sorting office moving out with a view to reinvigorating the post office. There is something tangy about this. It is not in line with Government policy, so An Post cannot hide behind that. The company has stated that this is one of its few remaining profitable post offices. Why will the Government not tackle the shocking waste in the GPO, which is grossly overstaffed and so on? Why pick on rural towns? Why pick on rural Tipperary, which has already lost six post offices this year? Thankfully, a postmistress gave up her redundancy package in order to try to retain the service for local people.

This decision is outrageous and the people of Thurles will not accept it. They have set up a hard-working, dedicated committee of business people and community activists who look after people from the cradle to the grave. Will the Government please reconsider its position? The Minister cannot keep hiding. The committee will hunt him down. Fine Gael election candidates are running around the county, yet the Thurles committee cannot get the Minister or An Post's action committee to meet it or Deputies from Tipperary. When we met the company last week, we were treated with disdain by Mr. McRedmond and others from An Post. It was all waffle. There is no business sense or economic reasoning behind this decision. Above all, it is a slap in the face of muintir Dhúrlas Éile - the proud people of Thurles, founding location of the GAA.

See this speech in context