Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)

I thank Deputy McCormack for bringing this up because it is an issue very close to my heart and one I have been considering for a while. I had the opportunity to meet with the Irish Postmasters' Union yesterday morning. Speaking to it, a topic that came up was the impact and availability of the post office network, particularly in rural Ireland, to offset some of that exclusion and isolation that happens to all sorts of people living in rural communities but particularly older people.

I know there is a Minister of State with responsibility for older people and this cuts across a number of Departments but is this something the Minister might raise in his discussions with colleagues in government, namely, a concerted strategy which looks at the post office network, the Local Link transport network, the voluntary and community network, including in my area of west Waterford, mental health awareness, the daycare centre networks, meals on wheels and the men's and women's sheds? In my area of Tallow, Cappoquin, Lismore, Dungarvan and Portlaw, this could come together in localised strategies to combat isolation, particularly among older people in rural Ireland.

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