Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We discussed this earlier in the week. An Post has its own State board and its own prerogatives. We in the Oireachtas have designated this to be so. It is responsible for the day-to-day management of its affairs. My responsibility is to ensure that the company operates to the standards of governance set for it and that it is in a financially sound position. As the Deputy knows, the company was not in a financially sound position very recently and it is suffering a continuous decline in revenue from traditional postal services. An Post has had to be very innovative in developing new services. Its view is that it can deliver new services if it develops a modern post office network. One of its offices is in Deputy Stanley's constituency. He has mentioned another in discussions. An Post has made that decision to best serve the people of Laois and Tipperary, to ensure that they have access to a high quality modern postal service and at the same time to ensure that the company continues to be viable and has the customer base that will allow it to thrive in the future.

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The company is undertaking and delivering major strategic reform and is improving its services. The proof of the pudding is in the growth in its parcel business and its movement into financial services. It is transforming its business and we must allow the company do what is best for its customer base and workers.

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