Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to speak on this important motion. I note the decision of An Post to close the Cork mail centre by March 2020, with the loss of 240 jobs and the devastating affect this decision will have on the workers concerned and their families. There is an increasing sense among communities that An Post is deliberately moving away from a model based on supporting communities towards a solely profit driven model. This is happening under the watch of the Minister, Deputy Bruton. We accept that An Post has to make profit if it is to succeed but what is happening is to be deeply regretted. We know that An Post returned to growth and profit in 2017 following a restructuring of the business and an increase in the price of a stamp to €1, which I voted against at the time. Along with the previous two speakers, I am a small business owner. If we increased our prices by 30% we would be out of business the day after doing so. An Post did it and it made €140 million and a profit of €8.4 million. An Post has no sense that this money and these profits are being generated through the good will and custom of communities and its employees. Where is the sense of public obligation? It is non-existent.

I agree with the motion that this is a very short-sighted action by An Post in Cork. The motion makes clear that the Government's Project Ireland 2040 and national development plan targets are to make Cork the fastest growing city in Ireland for the next two decades with a 2040 population of 320,000. It even took in part of west Cork to County Cork to make it bigger. When it comes to this Government, one hand does not know what the other is doing. It is shambolic.

Yesterday, on the Order of Business I asked the Minister, Deputy Bruton, about the relocation of the post office in Liberty Square in Thurles to a private shopping centre anchored by Dunnes Stores. I spoke an hour ago with the planners. Huge issues have arisen in regard to this shopping centre. Work has stopped. When I raised this issue yesterday, the Minister told me that work has recommenced. It has recommenced in spite of the fact that Tipperary County Council has issued warning letters for non-compliance to the anchor tenant, Dunnes Stores. This Government thinks it can ride roughshod over everybody. An ordinary man building a kitchen or an extension in respect of which he did not get planning would be stopped in his tracks. The council has not issued an enforcement order; it has issued a warning letter for non-compliance across a huge area in that development to which it is proposed to relocate the post office. The Minister is happy to stand over relocating the post office to a building that is non-compliant with fire regulations and building regulations. It is also in breach of Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, guidelines, with run-off into the river and so on. It is a catastrophe. If the EPA was acting properly, it would close it down. A road which is supposed to be used for emergency access is being used every day. Earlier today, concrete was being mixed on it. Plastering of the inside of the building continues even though it is non-compliant. Is the Minister going to stand over this?

Can An Post or the anchor tenant, whichever is responsible, break the rules at will? Can a semi-State body override the rules of the county council and everybody else? It is disgraceful carry-on.

See this speech in context