Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)

The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The programme for Government states that the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. The Department is working to deliver on this and is engaging with relevant stakeholders in relation to future funding, including for securing of a new mandate from the Government to continue funding at an enhanced level while ensuring an adequate legal basis and compliance with state aid rules. In due course, I will seek the Government's approval to progress legislation to affect the funding to provide certainty to the network post 2025.

An amount of €10 million per annum is being provided over a three-year fixed period from 2023 to 2025 to An Post. An Post then disperses this funding across the post office network, with all contractor post offices benefiting from the Government funding with the objective of securing the stability of the network. The funding is being paid monthly for each 12-month period. To date, over €25 million has been claimed by An Post for the network. The current funding provides time and space for An Post to accelerate the transformation and commercialisation of the network to ensure a relevant, commercially viable network delivering more services to citizens and small businesses.

An Post is a commercial semi-State body with a mandate to act commercially. An Post has statutory responsibility for the State's postal service and the post office network. Decisions relating to the network, including decisions relating to specific post offices are operational matters for the board and management of the company and are not ones in which I, as Minister, have any function. Similarly, the terms of the postmasters’ contract with An Post are a matter between the postmasters and An Post. Any negotiations are a matter for both parties directly.

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