Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

recognises: — that transactions within the post office network are down by an estimated 25 per cent due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which heightens the serious viability challenges facing

the network; and

— the need to put the post office network on a sustainable operational and financial footing in line with the Cabinet decision in 2017; and calls on the Government to: — designate the post office network as the ‘offline gateway’ of choice for citizens availing of State services due to its unique nationwide network and existing strong relationship with offline citizens;

— commence the provision of offline Government services with the availability of motor tax renewal through the post office network; and

— give recognition to the existing post office network as both a rural economic lifeline service and a locus for future development of financial services outside of the existing banking framework.

This an important issue. I am a rural Deputy and was brought up in Belclare. Canavan's, the local post office, was beside us. Over the years it was the financial centre of the village, where people drew their children's allowance, pensions and so on and they spent the money locally in the adjoining shop. It is still in existence today, and it provides a valuable service to many people in the locality. This is replicated throughout the country in the post office network. During the Covid-19 lockdown, the post office assumed the role of a social contact and provided a reassuring knock on the door for many people. The postman called to the doors of those on their own and provided a lifeline to many who were isolating. Tomorrow, as we begin the second lockdown, the post office will again be the focus of providing all these services, including the provision of free postage to nursing homes and newspaper delivery to ensure that people are not on their own. All of this is to be commended.

However, the post office network is at a very critical juncture. There 891 postmasters and 45 An Post-operated post offices in the country. During the Covid pandemic, their transactions are estimated to be down by around 25%. Grant Thornton, which has done a report on the post office network, has estimated that there is a €17 million shortfall annually in the costs of running the network. The Government needs to act quickly to save the network.

Grant Thornton has also argued that the post office network remains a highly valuable asset, which contributes an estimated social value of between €344 million and €776 million per annum. We are calling on the Government to do a number of things. The first is to designate the post office network as the offline gateway of choice for citizens availing of the State services, due to its unique nationwide network and existing strong relationship with offline citizens. Second, we ask the Government to commence the offline services by providing the motor tax renewal service through the post office network. That would be a statement of intent. We ask that recognition be given to the existing post office network, both as a rural economic lifeline service and a locus for future development of financial services outside the existing financial framework.

I ask the Government to take this motion seriously on the basis that we, in rural Ireland, need this network to ensure that it has a focus. We see villages in which the doors have been closed. The last beacon of light for many of us is the fact that the post office remains open.

I commend everyone involved in the post office. My colleagues will expound more on the virtues of the post office network. Critically, the post office network will be in a very serious position from June 2021, unless the Government acts now. That is why the motion is being moved now, rather than leaving this issue to come to a cliff edge. I would appreciate if the Minister, who is listening in Galway, would take this on board.

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