Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Ó Cathasaigh. Tá brón orm ach freagróidh mé as Béarla.

I appreciate the Deputy raising this issue. I welcome the opportunity to outline the position in respect of it on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to act commercially and, as such, day-to-day operational matters, including decisions regarding the size, distribution and future of the network, are matters for the board and the management of the company and not ones in which the Minister has a statutory function.

The Minister is very aware of the impact that decisions relating to changes in An Post operations have on communities and individuals in rural and urban areas. The Deputy very eloquently and in a linguistic sense, very beautifully laid out the impact of this in his area. It is understood from An Post that the postmaster in An Rinn is retiring. An Post has advised that it has advertised the post office contract a number of times and canvassed the local area but to no avail. An Post indicated that An Rinn, like most post offices, is run by a postmaster, who is a self-employed contractor, rather than directly by An Post. The contract for An Rinn will be advertised once more this week by An Post and it has indicated it will continue looking for a suitable contractor to take over the running of the post office.

I have considerable empathy with the Deputy because no fewer than two post offices in my constituencies sadly could not be saved because the commercial viability of doing so was not appealing enough for people to take up this opportunity. Obviously, it is acutely different in suburban south Dublin compared with the rural Gaeltacht areas of Waterford. This should and will be acknowledged by An Post and the Minister.

In recent years, though, An Post, has been transforming its business by delivering new products and new formats in the context of the way it operates. Among other things, this includes diversifying and growing the financial services products it provides for individuals and SMEs to include loans, credit cards and more foreign exchange products, local banking in association with the major banks and a full range of State savings products. An Post is also providing agency banking services for AIB and Bank of Ireland across its network of post offices. The programme for Government recognises that a modernised post office network will provide a better range of financial services and e-commerce services for citizens and enterprises as part of our commitment to a sustainable, nationwide post office network with overall funding of €30 million provided to support a sustainable nationwide network in line with this commitment.

I trust, however, that the Deputy understands it would be inappropriate for the Minister, Deputy Ryan, or me, on his behalf, to comment further on operational matters relating to proposals for specific post offices. An Post plays an important role in serving the needs of business and domestic customers alike. An Post advises that this role is at the forefront of its mandate. Ultimately, however, the Minister cannot intervene to prevent An Post from doing that which we as the Oireachtas have given it a statutory responsibility to do. An Post has an independent board with a very clear mandate. That said, another effort is under way to find a suitable postmaster in An Rinn, a Gaeltacht region. I know An Post will put everything in place and will communicate fully with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and this House as this situation progresses.

See this speech in context