James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I certainly agree with the Deputy regarding the importance of our post offices and the fact they go way above and beyond the individual services provided in those local communities. As I indicated, decisions relating to post offices are operational matters for An Post, but the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, will continue to engage with the company on the proposed conversion of post offices and those concerns that have been raised by the Deputy and other Deputies. At the meeting, An Post gave an undertaking to review its decision on proposed conversion and will revert to the Minister of State in the very near future.

Deputy Gannon will appreciate that the Minister cannot issue a direction to prevent An Post from doing that which the Oireachtas has given it to do as a statutory responsibility. An Post has an independent board with a clear mandate and plays an important role in serving the needs of business and domestic customers alike. This is at the forefront of An Post's mandate. The board of management is doing what it can to maintain the company's sustainability and relevance to customers. As the Deputy rightly pointed out, that includes relevance to local communities. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, and their officials and Cabinet colleagues are working to support the company to that end.

See this speech in context