Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister made a few interesting points and mentioned the management of An Post. I am making a formal request to the Minister to convey to the management of An Post an invitation to meet Deputies from the area. That step needs to be taken immediately and we want to see it happen in the coming days.

The Minister has just given a death notice to every town centre post office in Ireland. He said post offices must move with the customers and consider where business is moving, and that these types of old premises do not fit the future vision of An Post. That can be interpreted as saying Mountmellick is the first town to move Government business from the town centre to the edge of town areas. Eventually, some Minister some day will announce €100,000 to renovate the town centre and footpaths and build new curbs in the area. That will be the response of the Government. It will renovate the footpath and think that it is great because a town renewal grant was obtained. We want to keep post offices, businesses and Government businesses in town centres. We look forward to the Minister facilitating that meeting with the management of An Post and Deputies.

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