Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I heard what the Minister of State said. She said that the Government is committed to a sustainable post office network. The next thing she said was that she met representatives of An Post and that they fully understand the Government's position. The Minister of State probably has clarified it a bit there but why has she not met the Irish postmasters? The sentence the Minister of State just uttered struck fear into my heart when she said that there will be no compulsory closures. We know that but if postmasters cannot make a living, there will be nobody to run the post offices. While there will be no person from An Post and no Minister coming down to close the post offices, if they are not viable or do not have enough services or if postmasters are not earning a decent living, they will close.

The Minister of State’s interdepartmental group was supposed to report last July. We have heard nothing, so there is no progress. That is why they are looking at industrial action. This is last gasp stuff.

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