Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an ócáid seo ina bhfuilimid in ann cúpla rud a rá maidir le cúrsaí in oifigí poist agus an líonra poist inár saol le chéile. Tá ról sóisialta tábhachtach acu ag soláthar tacaíochtaí luachmhara do chuid de na daoine is leochailí inár sochaí trí íocaíochtaí leasa shóisialaigh, postas saor in aisce chuig tithe altranais agus go leor seirbhísí luachmhara eile a sholáthar. Tá ról eacnamaíoch ríthábhachtach acu maidir le gnó idir gnólachtaí agus custaiméirí a éascú. Tá ról acu anois sa gheilleagar le fás seirbhísí cosúil le Vinted.

At present, there are 873 post offices, most of them operated by independent postmasters. In fact, only 41 of the offices are directly operated by An Post, with postmasters operating over 90% of the network. This is a nationwide network of significant scale, providing the economic and social benefits I have mentioned, to citizens urban and rural across all of Ireland.

Every year, approximately 70 to 80 post offices change ownership. This can be for a variety of reasons, including a new postmaster taking over an existing premises, relocation by an existing postmaster to a more modern, accessible premises, or a new postmaster taking over and relocating to a new, fit-for-purpose premises. Additionally, I understand that five offices are temporarily closed. Of these five, I am informed by An Post that Ballyneety, County Limerick, and Carrigaholt, County Clare, are due to reopen in the near term. The Government recognises the challenges for both the network and postal services. Uncertainty regarding global trade is one of these challenges. As this network facilitates trade, I am aware that postmasters are likely to be feeling the effects of this uncertainty. I would like to specifically recognise An Post’s work to date in continuing the flow of post to the US despite the uncertainty due to changes to that country's customs rules last year.

The network undoubtedly is also impacted by the continuing decline in mail volumes and the growth of digitalisation. It is not only nationally but internationally that mail and An Post services and businesses are experiencing long-term structural challenges. Additionally, issues relating to the cost of living, in particular the effects of inflation and higher energy costs, have been felt by many SMEs, including postmasters, and current global events continue to cause challenges in this regard. In recent times, a number of offices have been converted from An Post-operated to postmaster- or contractor-operated, with modernised facilities., These include, for example, those in Tipperary town, Tallaght, Roscommon and New Ross. It should be noted that conversion to a contractor-operated office means these offices have joined the mainstream of national post offices, given that, as I set out earlier, more than 90% of the country’s post offices are operated by contractor postmasters. The conversion will often not in any way change the range or the extent of the services offered by An Post in these selected locations and the company remains committed to providing each area with the highest level of services.

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. We previously provided An Post with €10 million funding per annum over a three-year period from 2023 to 2025. An Post dispersed 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. This funding was put in place under the previous Government. However, let me be clear that the current Government also recognises the need to support Ireland’s post office network. Under the programme for Government, we 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. I am delighted to have been able to not only secure continued future funding in line with this commitment but to be able to provide an increased amount to €15 million per annum, which was approved by the Government in January. This approval provided a clear mandate for this enhanced funding, and my officials are progressing the next steps required. In line with the programme for Government, the funding will support the stability and sustainability of the network, protecting and nurturing a commercially focused post office network. It will also support access for citizens to the key social benefits of the post office network.

In line with the programme for Government, the funding will support the stability and sustainability of the network, protecting and nurturing a commercially focused post office network. It will also support access for citizens to the key social benefits of the post office network.

Government support does not mean that some post offices will not close. Closures can happen for a variety of reasons, such as due to retirement or for personal reasons. The intention is to avoid such decisions being necessary on foot of economic hardship. Since January 2025, 14 post offices have permanently closed following unsuccessful efforts to appoint new postmasters. In every case, An Post advised the Department that vacancies were advertised multiple times and local engagement was also undertaken multiple times. An Post has not closed any post office. A post office closure follows a decision by an individual postmaster to exit the business and in the majority of cases, closures have resulted from postmaster retirements.

Where a post office closes or relocates, this can leave a heritage building without a use in the heart of the community. The programme for Government recognises this and commits to Government partnering with An Post and local communities to identify and preserve heritage post office buildings that are no longer in use by the post office. My Department is working in the first instance with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to discuss possible options.

Equally, it is important to remember that this support aims to protect and nurture a sustainable and commercially viable post office network, and that it also aims to ensure access to important services across the post office network. Any support must therefore be utilised to allow time and space to enable new commercial initiatives and services to be developed.

An Post has statutory responsibility for the post office network. Accordingly, it must actively explore opportunities to develop new, or enhanced, product lines and services. We want to see a sustainable service for all of our citizens, both urban and rural, in the medium and long term. The network is a core strength of An Post and the continued development of the network is vital to its sustainability. However, we must also recognise the fact that post offices are commercial entities and, as with all businesses, they need to continue to develop relevant commercial strategies to attract new customers and drive footfall. There can sometimes be a focus on the provision of a particular service across the network or supports being put in place, but no one measure in isolation is going to provide for the long-term sustainability of the network. All stakeholders will need to continue to work together and the public must also be encouraged to use the services available through the post office. However, I encourage my Government colleagues to consider the impact of digitalisation and substitution of services on our network. It is important that as technology develops, we explore new and innovative ways of working but it is also important that we ensure that those who, for whatever reason, do not want to access government services online, can still do so. I and the officials in the Department are ready and available to work with other Departments in respect of delivery of services throughout the network.

Postmasters will play a crucial role in the future of the network, and I recognise and thank them all, together with all postal workers, for the hard work, dedication, input and co-operation to date for their role in enabling the ongoing transformation of the network. I particularly want to thank them for their role during Covid-19. Their support is needed as An Post seeks to win new or bolster existing business, and to explore opportunities for new product lines.

The global headwinds of mail volume decline and rising costs not only effect the offices of the network, but also An Post at a company level, in its operations delivering mail. An Post earlier this year announced increases to the price of stamps, noting that falling letter volumes and rising overheads are resulting in stamp increases globally, not just in Ireland. The price changes are carefully calculated to cover the costs of providing service to every address taking account of wage increases, increased operating costs and other costs. It should be noted that decisions relating to pricing are entirely a matter for An Post. Pricing is therefore ultimately a matter for the board and management of the company and, where relevant, the Commission for Communications Regulation in accordance with its mandate with respect to postal regulation and the universal service obligation for which An Post is a designated provider. The Minister has no role in this.

An Post is also experiencing changes in the growth of ecommerce in its operations. An Post advised that in 2025 parcel volumes were 27% higher than 2024. In peak season of 2025, 3 million parcels were delivered weekly alongside approximately 3 million cards. Christmas 2025 was the busiest peak in An Post’s history and, according to the company, parcel volumes were 35% higher nationally during the peak period. An Post understands that the January to February 2026 parcel volumes were almost 50% higher than the same period last year. The company has opened a new parcel facility in Dublin 24 and expects automation to be completed ahead of the 2026 peak season. This will assist with the growing volume the company is experiencing. An Post has additionally acknowledged that there were some delivery challenges due to the exceptionally high volume and notes that these volumes occurred in conjunction with illness-related staff shortages.

Mar fhocal scoir, cruthaíonn na dúshláin dhomhanda leanúnacha, na hathruithe struchtúracha san earnáil poist agus na hathruithe ar nósanna custaiméirí timpeallacht dhúshlánach do líonraí na n-oifigí poist agus An Post ina iomláine. Léirigh an Rialtas a thiomantas don líonra agus don luach a sholáthraíonn sé do shaoránaigh le leithdháileadh de €15 milliún in aghaidh na bliana ar feadh théarma an Rialtais. Mar sin, molaim do na geallsealbhóirí ar fad oibriú le chéile chun inmharthanacht an líonra a chinntiú. Ba cheart saoránaigh a spreagadh chun a n-oifigí poist áitiúla a úsáid, más mian leo. Ar an gcaoi chéanna, ba cheart do sholáthraithe seirbhísí Rialtais agus seirbhísí eile a chinntiú go bhfuil roghanna ar fáil do shaoránaigh nach ndéanann a ngnó ar líne ar chúis éigin. Tacaíonn an Rialtas leis na hoifigí poist agus na daoine a oibríonn iontu. Cabhróidh sé seo le líonra láidir d’oifigí poist a chinntiú anois agus amach anseo.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I am very grateful for, and glad of, the opportunity to speak here today. I must declare a small interest in this. I am a postmaster. I have a DVO office and I deal on a daily basis with post offices and post office issues, not just as a politician, but also on the practical side of what it takes to deliver the mail. Of course, because of those two jobs, I have dealt an awful lot with post offices over the years.

I acknowledge the Minister's contribution to the issue of safeguarding post offices. The Government is deeply committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as key components of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. That deep commitment was outlined in the programme for Government, and the Minister rightly outlined that he was very much to the forefront of ensuring that the additional €5 million that was got was got because of his commitment and determination to keep our post offices open.

He was right when he said that the Government can only do so much. Politicians in opposition can only do so much. I really mean this as an operator of a small post office. Every one of us says how good post offices are but how many of us actually use one? Do not ever forget this: a post office only gets paid on transactions. A transaction can be buying a stamp or a person collecting their pension.

I recall a famous case about a certain post office in a certain place that was closing. A lot of older, very nice people came on the day. They were lamenting the fact that the post office was closing and were there for the picture of the closing. When the picture was taken, the man who operated the post office reminded them that if they had collected their pensions there, he might not have closed. That is a fact. If you do not use it, you will lose it and everyone of us as politicians should be encouraging people to use their post office.

The nicest thing in the whole world you can do for small little lovely children starting out - whether it is a child, grandchild, niece or nephew - is give them a little post office savings book, put a few euro into it and tell them to go to their local post office with mum or dad, or when they are old enough to go themselves, and put their few euro into it.

The sustainability of post offices will not be down to the Government. Yes, of course, the €15 million is a lifeline, but the Government cannot keep supporting something if it is not being supported by the people.

We have 950 post offices across Ireland. I acknowledge the commitment of post office people - not just the postmasters, but also the people who work in the post offices. They are a very important part of society because they have a real connection with people. Number one, they are trusted. When the banks failed a lot of things in Ireland, there were two things we could be assured of and they were our local post office and our credit union. They are great places to go to invest a few euro, if people have it, to get young people into the habit of saving or for other banking facilities.

Our post offices are about way more now than just being a place to buy a stamp because people can carry out so many other transactions in them and, as I already outlined, transactions are the lifeline to that business. I thank the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and the Minister for the funding that has been given by this Government, as well as everybody who is supportive of the post office network.

Another interest that I must declare is a girl who is very important to me, my daughter Rosie.

She has been a postgirl since a young age. She is out today in her postvan, delivering post. I hear and see first hand how important the five-day delivery service is. I remember one time a Minister who had the same responsibility as the current Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, said that if there were two choices, namely a five-day delivery service or an increase in the price of the stamp, none of us want to see the price of the stamp being increased because it is expensive to post a letter. However, the every day delivery service is important. Other countries are lucky if they have two or three days of a delivery service in a week. Sometimes the postman pulling into the yard or the friendly postman calling to the door and handing in a letter may be the only person who the person in that house sees for the day. The postman might bring a bit of news for people, put a smile on their face, have a bit of gossip for them and talk about the issues of the day, be it politics, football, or whatever is going on.

The postperson is awfully important in people's lives and is really appreciated because they might be the only visitor calling to that farmer. It is not just about rural areas. Over many years, people might think I am always fighting about rural post offices. I am but it is about urban post offices too. A point the Minister always makes to me is that it is not just rural post offices. Urban post offices might be in a very built-up area but their business might be really struggling because people might not be using it. Even though there are many people around, if they do not use it, they will lose it.

One thing I appreciate, which is a bit of a two-edged sword, is the success of Amazon. It is great Amazon is doing well but maybe when Amazon is doing well, the local shops are not. We cannot stop the tide and things like that from happening but there is one thing I will remind An Post, the company, of. It is facilitating Amazon and trying to make more room because there is such a volume of business going through, and An Post is grateful for that business, but do not ever forget the ordinary person who goes out and posts an ordinary letter in the ordinary post. That is as important as Amazon's business, although it might not be as much. Over the years there were very few parcels or boxes being delivered and the biggest thing people got was maybe a parcel from America at Christmastime, and it was a big deal when it came, but now there are parcels for houses every day because people are buying everything from the kitchen sink to items of clothing. Everything one could think of comes from Amazon. I should call it online shopping, not just Amazon.

I want An Post to keep in mind same-day delivery. I would make that point to the Minister, and I know he is strong on it too. He has told me he is adamant we should have an every day delivery service in this country, and it is one of the last things we would ever give up on because the minute that every day service is lost, that would be a bad day for Ireland and its citizens. We want to offer and continue to offer the network. I could not emphasise enough how people should look at all the services their post office can provide. Not everything has to be online. People can support their post office by going in and supporting the business because there are friendly people working there and they are local jobs in local areas, be it a rural or urban post office.

Where I am from in Kerry, I am so proud of the people who, through good times and bad, have kept their doors open. I remember the good people who were there before whose only source of income was operating the local post office. In the village I am from, we had a great man by the name of Denis P. O'Sullivan. He and his brother John ran a great post office for many years before they retired and I took it over more than 20 years ago. A very kind man by the name of Padraig Sweeney runs my post office now. These people are so important in their local communities. They are respected, trustworthy, reliable, kind and friendly. They keep an eye on their customers. Everyone in this House and in the Seanad surely agrees, although we might not agree on many things, we all want to keep the local post offices going because they are vital and integral.

I know we have an excellent Minister in charge of it. I have every confidence in him doing everything but he cannot put people into the post offices. The people will have to go in themselves. Keep the post offices alive by giving your business to them, please.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the previous speakers. I welcome the statements on post office closures. It is important to highlight the work of the post offices across the country and what the Government is doing to help this sector and provide the key public service. It is a huge public service and a service we depend on. It is important, particularly for our rural post offices, which have always played an important role in connecting people. Whether a letter or package needs to get from Buncrana to Bantry, Bagenalstown to Carlow, or even to Bondi Beach, An Post will find a way to get it there. That is a fact. It will find a way. There are currently hundreds of post offices across the country serving almost 100,000 customers a week, whether selling stamps or providing social welfare payments. Each day, An Post collects, processes and delivers 2.5 million items of mail to 2 million addresses daily. Some 95% of post offices are run by contract postmasters. It is really important to thank them and their team for the valuable work they do in our local communities. They are absolutely brilliant and the service they give to communities is exceptional because they handle each transaction and delivery with care. They keep our local communities moving.

I highlight one in particular in my constituency which stands out - Fennagh in County Carlow. It is a small post office called the Black Cat. Locals are able to avail of services they would otherwise have to drive into the town centre for. I would always say when going into Fennagh that the post office there is like a social outlet for our elderly community. People can go in, talk, and get a few groceries or whatever. It keeps our villages going, particularly in the rural areas. I see other areas with a post office in a SuperValu where people can go in and shop but there are also family-run post offices that go beyond the call of duty.

The post office provides services beyond selling stamps and taking in parcels. In the post office, members of the community are able to collect their social welfare payments, pay their TV licence and buy a Leap card. Post offices and their workers look out for their neighbours, giving the older members of our community a social outlet and assisting in tasks that may have moved online. Both Ministers spoke about how things are changing. Many things are going online, so we have to be mindful of that. When paying a home heating bill or electricity bill, there is the friendly face at a local post office. The workers there can help, whether with a phone call or just giving advice. It is all about helping. They really do an excellent job. The Government understands the essential service our post offices are providing day in, day out.

The Minister spoke about the €15 million. This is about sustainable national post office services, the post office network, the support it provides, and the infrastructure around Ireland. That money is vital. On 13 January the Government approved funding for the post office network up to 2030 to support citizens' access to key services. This funding will maintain access to the network across urban and rural areas. As the Ministers said, it is both urban and rural. It will ensure no community is left behind. That is important because everybody is so busy now. As was said, it is important the public uses the facility of our post offices because it is an excellent service.

We spoke about the big boom in the e-commerce business across the country. I have always been a big supporter of shopping locally. I firmly believe that no matter where people live in the country, they should shop locally and keep the jobs, which is so important. However, with this new digital age we are living in, many businesses in my area have developed websites for online orders.

This is a great way for a business to expand, yet there is another way and opportunity for our post office to support and assist the communities. I support An Post in its efforts to provide its important services, while remaining true to its net-zero targets. It is currently in possession of the largest e-vehicle fleet in the country, and it is introducing more sustainable forms of fuelling with its other vehicles, so it is very much on top of its brief. It is important that we give it this credit. These green choices by An Post show its determination to continue adapting to our new ways of doing business and serving communities in a sustainable way. Our post offices have been a steadfast pillar of our communities for many years and with the boom we are experiencing in e-commerce business, our postmen and women up and down the country will continue to support our communities, and the Government will continue to support them in their important tasks.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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What did Sinn Féin do to keep them open?

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The local post office is far more than just a place to send letters. In towns and villages across Ireland, the post office is the lifeline for communities. For many older people, those living alone and especially for people in rural communities, the post office is where the pension is collected, bills are paid and where the friendly face might be the only social contact somebody has that day. It provides vital access to cash and State services in communities. Despite that enormous social and economic value, however, successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments have allowed this network to steadily decline. In the past decade, 257 post offices have closed across the State. That is a post office closure every fortnight. Rural communities have, as always under those parties, been the worst hit. Some 11 post offices have closed in my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan in the past ten years alone. These closures did not happen by accident, and they are certainly not the fault of the people who live in their communities. They are the result of political choices, a failure to properly invest in the network and a decision by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to support the EU postal service directive, which actually prevents Government from recognising post offices as essential public infrastructure.

Sinn Féin believes that the decline can be reversed, however. We are calling for a long-term government funding programme to secure the post office network, including investment needed to keep rural post offices closed. Crucially, we need to expand the services through post offices from banking and financial services to greater access to government services because here is the simple truth: Ministers talking the talk. How many services from each Department are actually provided from within the post office? If the Government really wanted to support our post offices, that would be the first move it would be making.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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If we want to support our rural communities, we have to support the services, and the post office is the critical service among them.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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Hear, hear.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister and Minister of State have admitted that post offices provide vital services in our communities and support local economies. However, there has been a spate of closures in recent years. Over the past decade, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have operated hand in glove together in government. We have seen the closure of more than 250 post offices, predominantly in the rural communities. This does madden rural communities, in particular, many of whom have seen schools and Garda stations shut, accident and emergency departments close and other services stripped from their local hospitals. The question for the Government, the Minister and Ministers of State is: do they find this objectionable and, if so, what are they going to do about it?

The IPU warned only late last year that without additional support, up to 40% of remaining post offices will be shut. I commend the union because for years now, it has not only been highlighting the grave threats posed to the viability of our local post offices but has made extensive suggestions as to how their futures can be secured by outlining how they could innovatively offer enhanced and even greater services to their local communities, which that have often seen a lack of inward investment in public services.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are a uniparty of rural closures, and we know that. The very least they could do is support the post offices to offset the worst impacts of the lack of investment in rural Ireland. I urge the Minister and Ministers of State to engage with the Irish Postmasters' Union; change tack and finally recognise the value of our local post offices and fund them appropriately so that they can continue to operate.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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As the Minister and Ministers of State will be aware, we have a contraction of services across rural Ireland, and it is not just the post offices. It is other services as well. All these things go hand in glove. Across my rural community, I have seen many post offices over the past decade close. It removes that central piece of contact from the rural community. The Minister talked about the services that are provided and praised people who are in the post office service and the work they are doing and all of that. All that is valid. The reality, however, is that for most people who are acting as postmaster or postmistress, the contract they have at the moment is not viable when that has to change hands. That is the problem we have.

I saw it recently in Carrick-On-Shannon where quite a large post office had to close down because the postmistress said she was not doing it anymore. It simply was not viable under the contract that was in place, and the only place it could go was into a large shop, which had that alternative or added service to it. Stand-alone post offices seem to be a thing of the past. For many people in rural areas, that means the post office is going to be a thing of the past. What we are talking about here is ensuring we have a service in place that will enhance and develop rural communities to be sustainable into the future. There is population decline in many rural parishes across the country. We see that with football clubs amalgamating, post offices closing, other services being removed, Garda stations, etc. We could go down the list. What we need to do is arrest that. This spiral downwards has to be stopped, and we have to try to get it to spiral upward again. The only way we can do that is for Government to take a keen interest in ensuring that services that are vital to people's lives are kept in place.

That means they will have to be invested in and that contracts in place will have to be viable for a person to take up the position of postmaster or postmistress. It will also mean investment in the network and ensuring the services that are provided by the Government are easily available to people through the post office network. The Ministers need to wake up and realise that talking nice about it does not resolve the problem.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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Two hundred and fifty seven post offices closed over the last ten years. Those were 257 post offices that were in rural and urban communities which have now gone. People know Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were in part responsible for that but I listened to the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae’s comments earlier and it is quite something to have sat here before the last election and watched as the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, challenged the Government quite robustly on its failures for rural Ireland day in, day out and week in, week out. Since the election, he has gone over to the other side of the House and sits there as a Minister of State. He praises the Government and praises every Government Minister. He said today that he wanted to praise the Government for "safeguarding post offices". I wonder do the 15 post offices that closed in Kerry and the 257 post offices that closed across the State agree they have been safeguarded. He also talked about the Government being deeply committed to post offices. Again, I wonder do those 257 post offices which closed feel that. The reality is that for far too long the Government has not valued post offices. Where I do agree with the Minister of State is that, of course, we should, and we do, all support our post offices. However, as Deputy McGuinness outlined, most of the closures took place because of the contracts which are in place and the lack of viability. There has been report after report, including one done by a Kerry man, that outline what needs to be done to support rural Ireland and rural post offices and this Government took no notice of what was said at all.

I am not going to be two-faced and come in here to say the Government has done a great job when the facts speak for them selves - 257 closures which should be owned by this Government, by the Minister and by each and every member of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael over the past ten years who have done precious little to save those post offices which have closed. If the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, was standing where I am now, which he was, he would be saying exactly the same thing but of course he is whistling a different tune now he is a Minister of State.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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In 2022 there was an announcement that Blarney post office was going to close but following a campaign by the local people in Blarney and meetings organised by myself and people in Sinn Féin, a man named Daniel came forward and he saved the post office and turned it around. I want to recognise the unbelievable work he and his staff have done and the people of Blarney. However, in 2018 the post office in Shandon Street, not 100 yd from my office, closed down. Promised were made that they would save Shandon Street post office. The building in the heart of Shandon Street in the heart of Cork city is derelict now. In Blackpool, another post office was closed. It was a miracle it was reopened but in the shopping centre. For villages and communities like Blackpool this is death by a thousand cuts.

We see buildings being left idle and communities left abandoned. Some of my colleagues spoke about the 257 post offices which closed in the past ten years but 34 were in Cork alone, the biggest number in any county, with 22 rural and 12 urban post offices. The Ministers came in here to tell us what they are doing. They slashed the post offices in Cork. The people in communities, both urban and rural, are feeling it. This Government, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Healy-Rae Independents and the Lowry Independents are backing the destruction of the post offices in this State.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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Hear, hear.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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You closed a few of them yourselves.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Thank you, Minister.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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You closed the one in Adare when you shot a garda.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Thank you, Minister.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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You forgot that one, of course.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Minister-----

Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the opportunity-----

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Minister, no one interrupted-----

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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So it is all right to close the 34 in Cork.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Thank you, Members.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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You had no problem closing the one in Adare, did you? You had no problem closing that one, you hypocrite.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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No one interrupted you, Minister. Thank you.

Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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I will just plough on so.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Yes. Take your time.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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Manners.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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Who are we talking about?

Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on the role and importance of post offices in Irish life. We need to be frank. The post offices across Ireland, particularly in rural Ireland, are facing death by a thousand cuts. Some 257 post offices closed in the past decade. The vast majority of these closures, 78%, have been in rural areas. Anyone in this Chamber who comes from a rural community knows exactly what that means. When a post office closes, it does not just shut its doors. It deals a devastating blow to the entire community. The ripple effects are felt by the whole community. The Irish Postmasters’ Union has warned that without State support, 40% of remaining post offices will close. We must stop treating post offices as just another business. They are a community resource - one which provides critical services for older people, vulnerable citizens and marginalised communities. The Government should be working with postmasters not against them to expand the services they can offer. Postmasters want to do more. They are ready and willing but they need support to make it happen whether it is tourist information, voter registration or expanding the role of postmasters as peace commissioners, the potential is there. It just needs Government backing because without it rural communities will continue to be stripped bare. These are rural communities like those in Carlow and Kilkenny. It was devastating when Mullinavat post office closed. That was on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s watch and that devastated communities.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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There is not adequate bus services for these people.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Thank you, Deputy. You are over time.

Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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To take something out of the community when there are no other services there is just not good enough.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Thank you. The Labour Party is-----

Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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No money will get that back.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Deputy Newsome Drennan, thank you. Your time is up. We will move to the Labour Party.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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We stopped the clock for that so he did not.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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That is the second Minister today who got mad at me for some reason.

Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)
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Across this country, we are witnessing a slow hollowing out of our post office network and in-person public services more generally. This is not simply an administrative shift or a commercial decision. It is the gradual stripping away of the civic infrastructure that holds communities together.

Post offices are far more than service providers - they are the beating heart of many communities. They bring people together, they strengthen social connections and they ensure essential services remain accessible, especially in rural and underserved areas. For many people, a visit to the post office is not just about posting a letter or paying a bill. It is about human interaction, reducing loneliness and maintaining a sense of belonging in our communities.

In rural towns and villages, post offices are often the only remaining local retail outlet, frequently integrated with other shops or newsagents. They are indispensable. They provide everyday goods and services that might otherwise be out of reach. Their presence sustains footfall, fosters economic activity and supports neighbouring small businesses. Customers visiting the local post office often spend money in nearby shops, they might grab a coffee or pop into a pharmacy. When the post office closes, that loss has a ripple effect, economically and socially.

The closure can feel symbolic. A withdrawal of services and another derelict building, usually on the main street in a town or village. Previous speakers have mentioned how over 250 post offices have closed across Ireland in the past decade. A further 161 closures are confirmed or in process as of late 2025 and early 2026, largely due to voluntary retirements. Rural communities have been hardest hit, representing nearly 80% of closures.

The network is consolidating to approximately 950 locations and there are concerns that up to a third of the remaining rural offices are at risk. That is not the future of our public services; it is their erosion and it is irresponsible. The Ministers, Deputies O’Donovan and Chambers, are required to sign-off on the disposal of an An Post property. That means they have the authority to stop the wholesale sell off of publicly-owned post office buildings. Yet, when we directly asked whether they would prevent such sales no undertaking was given.

Yes, the ways people use post offices changed and the traditional mail service - we cannot deny that - but market trends cannot justify cutting a public service, which is what this is. It is the reduction of a public service many people still rely on.

Not everyone has high-speed Internet or is comfortable navigating online systems. Not everyone can manage complex digital forms. For older people, those with disabilities, those with lower levels of digital literacy, those new to an area and those who simply value face-to-face assistance, the local post office is a lifeline. This is where political will must step in.

Let us future-proof our An Post services to breathe new initiatives back in to local services. The Labour Party is pushing for a transformation of the post office network into genuine community hubs that are not relics of the past but pillars of the future. A reimagined post office service could offer passport and driving licence renewals; motor tax payments; NCT bookings and other public service appointments; citizens information services; voter registration support; and space for local groups, youth services, and community meetings. This model would keep post offices viable while strengthening communities. It would reduce pressure on other overstretched public services. It would ensure that those who struggle with digital systems are not excluded. It would anchor civic life in our towns and villages, something that is currently lacking.

Other countries have embraced this model and we can look to them for research and guidance. There is no reason Ireland cannot do it. In my constituency of Dublin Fingal West, particularly in the towns of Rush and Lusk which balance a rapidly growing population with a strong local identity, the sense of familiarity and trust matters. Losing a post office can often feel like losing part of the town's social fabric. In growing commuter towns, not everybody works locally during the day but the post office remains a constant, accessible public service at the heart of the community. It provides essential services such as bill payments, pensions, social welfare collections, banking, passport applications and parcel services. For older residents, people without reliable transport or those who are less comfortable with online services, having a local branch is crucial. Economically, post offices support nearby businesses and ensure footfall without which small retailers can struggle. In short, for towns like Rush and Lusk a post office is not just a postal facility; it is a vital public service, a social hub and an anchor for the local community.

Another area that is being ripped apart by closures is Deputy Ivana Bacik's constituency of Dublin Bay South. She is working alongside our local representatives in Rathmines, Councillors Dermot Lacey and Fiona Connelly, who have been working hard regarding the future of the An Post in Rathmines, which is roughly the size of Drogheda. An iconic 1930s post office building faces closure, relocation and sale to the private market. The area has already lost its citizens' information centre and its public partnership office. The Labour Party believes that the State should not be stripping an asset that is essential for community infrastructure, particularly in an area that is already starved of public amenities and civic space. It is not just Rathmines; we have seen closures in Ballsbridge and Harold's Cross, and reports of reduced services in Ranelagh. It is not happening in isolation; it is a pattern. In the past year it has taken persistent effort and a groundswell of public activism to secure even minimal engagement between An Post and Dublin City Council regarding the future of the Rathmines building.

The level of debate in the Dáil today shows that awareness is growing. The importance of this issue is seeping through, but awareness is not action. If we allow these closures to continue unchecked, we will wake up one day to find that an essential layer of community life has vanished and rebuilding it will be far more expensive, financially and socially, than preserving it will now. Ministers have statutory powers which must be used for the public good and not to facilitate a sell-off of civic amenities or essential lifelines for our communities. The Government must commit to a long-term strategy that keeps post offices in public ownership and expands their role as service providers and hubs. Communities should not have to fight - building by building, town by town, and village by village - to retain essential infrastructure. Post offices are not merely commercial outlets; they are anchors of community life. They keep people connected, they support local businesses and they stop dereliction on main streets. They provide human contact in an increasingly impersonal online world. If we truly believe in balanced regional development, in social inclusion and in vibrant communities, the preservation and retention of our post office network must be part of that vision. The time for talking about closures is over. The time to secure our post offices' future happens today in this Chamber and the social value should always exceed profit.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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While much of today's focus is rightly on rural closures, I want to speak about a different challenge, namely, delivery pressures in rapidly growing urban areas like Dublin West. In my community the problem is not the loss of a post office today; it is whether the system can keep up with demand. Parcel volumes across Dublin West have increased by 42% in the last year. At the same time, the number of delivery addresses has grown by 4%. Letter volumes may be down by 7% but that does not relieve pressure when serving more homes and handling far more parcels. We are adding homes at a serious pace. In 2025 alone, 1,328 new dwellings were completed in Dublin West. That is 1,328 additional front doors requiring daily service on top of the thousands delivered in recent years. The reality is simple: more doors means more packages, which means more pressure and my constituents are feeling it.

I am hearing from families who are waiting weeks for deliveries that were repeatedly marked out for delivery but never arrived; from first-time buyers who are anxiously watching the tracking on mortgage-related documents because they are worried that delays could affect completion; from parents whose Christmas presents turned up long after the holidays, and from residents who are waiting on important medical items and simply cannot understand why parcels sit in sorting facilities for extended periods. In newer estates and apartment complexes, neighbours are comparing experiences and realising that this is not a one-off. It is widespread. I acknowledge the work of our postmen and postwomen, who are the front-line staff in An Post. This is about whether resourcing and infrastructure has kept pace with population growth. Dublin West is expanding at speed. Thousands of homes have been built with more coming. When housing growth is this rapid, public services must scale with it, including postal delivery. An Post has a universal service obligation. Urban communities are entitled to reliability and consistency just as much as rural communities are entitled to access.

I am asking the Minister of State to engage directly with An Post to ensure delivery capacity in Dublin West is urgently reviewed and expanded where necessary. My constituents are not asking for special treatment; they are asking for a postal service that keeps pace with the community it serves.

Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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In villages across County Clare and throughout rural Ireland, the post office is more than a service point; it is where people collect pensions, pay bills and meet neighbours. Alongside the local shop, it is the heartbeat of the community. When a post office closes, a community loses more than a building; it loses connection and identity. Business owners should always be the first option to run a post office but unfortunately in many small villages that is simply not possible. However, villages have strong community groups that are willing to step up. In Carrigaholt in west Clare, the community is providing a building and raising the funds to bring it up to the required standard for the post office. They have raised almost €55,000 since last weekend. That commitment is remarkable, but they should not have to carry this burden on their own. The Government supports community centres, sport facilities and other local amenities, and rightly so, but it should also support communities that are working to retain a vital public service like the post office. People in rural Ireland are not asking for special treatment; they are asking for fair treatment.

I ask the Minister of State to consider a dedicated funding stream to help community groups to maintain their local post offices. If we are really serious about supporting rural Ireland and keeping rural communities alive, we must back them with practical support.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this debate today. Like other speakers, I commend our local post office network in County Clare and the huge number of postmen and postwomen around this country, one of whom is my brother-in-law, Gearóid. They do an incredible job. You would want to see Gearóid's phone at times and the text messages that come in with appreciation or asking how he is doing. He has formed a great relationship and rapport with the people whose doors he drives up to and walks up to each day to deliver post. That is so typical of what happens right across rural Ireland.

The consolidation of post offices has utterly failed over the last few years. An Post brought in a rule whereby every household in rural Ireland should be theoretically within 15 km of a local post office. When the application of that rule came into play, we saw the closure of many post offices, including those in Carrigaholt, Cratloe and Broadford. Even urban post offices are closing. It is to the absolute detriment of the community because post offices are hubs where so much activity goes on. In addition to carrying out financial transactions, buying stamps and collecting pensions, people go to their local post office as a form of social interaction in rural Ireland. To see these post offices closing is absolutely devastating. There is a bit of a lottery to the 15 km rule. If the postmaster or postmistress becomes ill or wants to retire, the post office becomes a target for closure and you can start to draw your 15 km circles around it. That is the reverberating impact of all of this. We need to do a little reset on that because the numbers stack up to 250 closures over the past decade alone and 78% of those closures are in rural Ireland.

I am glad to see the annual subvention for post offices in the programme for Government. It is something I campaigned for quite rigorously alongside Councillor Tom O'Callaghan, a colleague of mine in County Clare. That is in the programme for Government and it is happening but, in itself, it is not enough. There are other models of post offices globally we should be looking at. Under the incredible Kiwibank model in New Zealand, a whole range of services bring people in beyond the doors of the post office to buy more than stamps - they bank with them, save with them and do all of these fabulous transactions. That is what keeping things sustained there. I think we need to look at that model.

I will speak briefly about Carrigaholt post office. A GoFundMe page has raised a huge amount of money there. That is to be commended but that is not where things should be at. This annual fund needs to be more than an annual fund. We need a sustainable pathway for post offices. If you want to see what that would look like, Councillor Tom O'Callaghan submitted an incredible template for how that could work, policy wise, for the Government. I hope that can be taken on board.

Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking the debate. I will start by saying I am a postmaster. It has been in our family for generations. My late mother took it over in 1972 and I have been running it for the past 20 years. I still cover the office on certain days or half-days during the week because ultimately, the local post office is the heart of the community. It is heartening to hear those comments from many Members. It is the heart of the community where I live. I was offered a redundancy package a number of years ago to close the office. I decided not to take it because it would have meant that the social hub in my village, and the footfall coming into the village and benefiting other businesses in the locality, would have been gone.

A Grant Thornton report a number of years ago, which was based on a UK model, measured the social dividend of the post office network to the country. It came up with a figure of between €350 million and €700 million - averaging roughly €500 million - as the dividend of the post office network throughout the country to the State in support of local communities. We have received support from the Government. When I was elected as a national politician, I worked with the Minister, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton; the then Minister, Heather Humphreys; and the then Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar; to put a State aid programme in place. We worked with Irish Postmasters Union, of which I am a member, to put a three-year deal in place for State aid funds. We were facing in the region of 200 to 300 closures at the time, ahead of the package being put in place. We have put the package into the programme for Government as a five-year State aid programme - €15 million a year - to safeguard the network that is there. We have put things in place to ensure that if an office closes or somebody wishes to retire, the opportunity will be there for another business within the area to apply for it and provide that service.

I am a member of a Government party but I am also a postmaster. We have received support from the Government to make sure we can maintain that network, but can more be done? I believe it can. We need more services because ultimately, we are losing payments because of online payments and direct debits. Many of the companies are pushing things that way because they do not want to get paid through post offices. I firmly believe post offices can do more for government - we can be the front face of government in all our local communities.

I ask that we look at Department of Social Protection payments. I know there is a contract in place but we get a lower percentage of those payments. I honestly believe we would ultimately be able to deliver those payments cheaper. The Department's officials will not tell us it is cheaper but we need look at the amount of money that is paid back to the Department for payments. It averages about €65 million a year. That money, when paid into bank accounts, is lost. I ask that we look for all Department of Social Protection payments to be paid through the post office network because ultimately, it will be cheaper for the State.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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Tá an córas oifig an phoist thart timpeall an Stáit riachtanach, lárnach inár gcuid pobail agus níos sine ná an Stát féin. I go leor cásanna, d’imigh an ról síos ó ghlúin go glúin laistigh de theaghlach. Tá sé dlúthcheangailte leis an bpobal. Tá sé sin tábhachtach. Caithfimid an córas, an bonneagar agus an t-infrastruchtúr a chosaint. Ní tharlóidh sé sin trí bhotún. Caithfear infheistíocht a dhéanamh le tacú le hoifigí an phoist. Ba cheart dúinn a chinntiú go bhfanann daoine san obair sin agus go bhfuil sé de chumas ag an gcóras daoine nua a mhealladh isteach. The post office network is crucially important. It is a service that, in many respects in many communities, is older than the State. It offers a tremendous community hub but also an increased level of services that people are benefiting enormously from. Again, a greater vision is needed. Ten or 15 years ago, you would have been concerned when you looked at An Post because of the trail-off in the number of letters being sent. However, the manner in which online deliveries, parcels and all these kinds of things have come to the fore since then has meant that a new range of services has come into An Post and there is potential there.

The most common reason I visit An Post is with packages for Depop and Vinted on behalf of my other half a lot of the time. There are many services that An Post offers that were not previously offered. It is still the case we are seeing closures, unfortunately, and we need to look at that. When somebody retires or finishes up who was obviously passionate about it, too often it is not attractive enough for someone new to run it. In recent years, we have lost the post office on High Street in Cork city and the post office in Crosshaven, which were big losses to those communities. That needs to be addressed in terms of investment. In the context of the modernisation and changes that are happening to An Post, there was talk of closing the mail centre and the distribution centre in Cork at different stages. To my mind, both are now vital, given the increased emphasis on parcels.

I will briefly flag the pension issue for An Post's staff. It is vitally important that the increases that are agreed are paid out on time at the earliest juncture. That took a significant campaign from pensioners and An Post, but there are more issues and I want to highlight that. There is an issue with the terms and conditions of the accord for pensioners, but there is also a discrepancy - a sort of two-tier system - whereby people who retired in January 2024 and those who retired in January 2025 are potentially on different pension rates, despite perhaps giving the same service. That needs to be addressed. I ask the Minister of State to bring that back for the Minister. While I welcome the increases that were agreed finally being paid out, there are still issues that need to be resolved.

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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Over the past ten years, Ireland has seen the closure of more than 257 post offices. In my own constituency, the Mount Merrion post office closed in 2021 and the Kilmacud post office closed just a few weeks ago on 11 February. Residents now face up to 40 minutes of a commute to reach a basic amenity. Both of those post offices closed as a result of An Post being unable to recruit new postmasters to keep the services running. Unfortunately, this issue has been developing for some time across the country. The fact is that the postmaster employment model no longer functions in modern Irish society. Over the years, the duties and responsibilities of postmasters have developed to include vital community services, like welfare payments, government services and parcel deliveries.

While the demands have increased, the business model has not evolved to match them. Postmasters are essentially treated as independent contractors with neither the rewards nor the recognition that accompany a public service job. They are held to bogus self-employment, doing the same work as full employees without receiving any of the benefits associated with direct employment. This is an arrangement that An Post and successive Governments have embraced for too long. It is not fair and it is not good enough.

Is seirbhís riachtanach í oifig an phoist. Is áit í ina dtagann daoine le chéile agus ina mbíonn seans ag daoine ar scor a chuid comharsan a fheiceáil go seachtainiúil. Trí easpa oifigí, táimid á dhéanamh níos deacra do gach duine litir a chur chuig cara, pacáiste a chur, nó na seirbhísí ar fad atá ar fáil trí An Post a úsáid. Is léir go bhfuil gá le hathrú sa chóras más mian linn dul i ngleic leis seo.

The postmaster represents so much more to our society than delivering messages. Across the country they stand for communication, financial access, history and community. They play an invaluable role in the social fabric of Irish life and should be treated as such.

While I welcome the increase in Government funding of €75 million to help the An Post network, I question what good this will do when we continue to perpetuate an employment model that only mistreats our postmasters. This Government and An Post must develop a more sustainable model to ensure postmasters can continue to deliver their vital services while receiving basic employment benefits.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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I echo my party colleague's sentiments on the importance of post offices to our local communities. Everyone in Ireland appreciates the work of our postal workers and, indeed, those who man the post offices.

I want to raise with the Minister of State a specific issue about Daly's postal agency in Hollywood in west Wicklow. They are a small shop but they perform certain postal services. Their mini-Riposte system is incompatible with fibre broadband, and when we moved from copper to fibre, it stopped working properly. It has been slowing down over the last number of years and now it is barely holding on. It could stop working at any minute.

They have been offering the service of social welfare payments for over 20 years to the community and they administer 50 various social welfare payments per week. They are an important part of west Wicklow. Surprisingly, they receive a commission of only €70 a month for providing that service, which I was quite surprised by. It is a very small amount of money, but they recognise the importance of the service. A 93-year-old man visits them every week to get his social welfare payments but has the chats and meets people. It is a really important part of his week.

This postal agency is very worried because there is not an alternative for them to perform this service. They are now doing it with paper because the machine is not working properly. An Post is trying to work with them to find an alternative, but I ask that the Minister of State make sure that happens. We really need to keep open this agency and, indeed, other agencies. My understanding is that this is a big issue in the west of Ireland where these types of small shops might be performing this function. It is really important that we enable them to continue that. I wanted to raise that with the Minister of State in case she was not aware.

Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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As other speakers have said, post offices are essential resources for communities all over Ireland and have been for centuries. They are a place not only to send packages and envelopes but also to gather to have regular interaction, particularly for older people. While many of my generation would welcome the increase in digital services, as I do, it is crucial we recognise that many in our communities rely on in-person interactions.

Stand-alone post offices, as opposed to those at the back of the local shop, offer privacy and care in a way that a private operator simply cannot. At the heart of this debate on post office closures is the closure of community facilities and services invested in by the State over hundreds of years and focal points for the inhabitants of those communities.

In my constituency, the local post office in Rathmines was built by the State in 1934. It has signalled that it is to close. In the first phase, the gorgeous Art Deco retail front will cease operations and be leased to the highest bidder, presumably the local Centra. While parcel collection services will continue, An Post has signalled its long-term intention to sell the entire site.

Combined with the loss of the local town hall and the turning of Rathmines village into a thoroughfare of the city, this closure brings a palpable sense of loss emblematic of the broader decay of local communities. As one constituent wrote to me last week, the closure of the Rathmines post office represents a "Gradual erosion of a vital public service in Rathmines and the surrounding area ... it's more than a counter - it is a civic space relied upon by older residents, local businesses, and the wider community”.

It is of the utmost importance that the Government look holistically at the question of community investment and development, particularly in Dublin’s urban villages, and how post offices provided by the State will continue to be a vital part of those communities.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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I listened to the opening contributions from the Government Members today and I thought to myself, my God, does the air feel lighter over on that side of the Chamber? The Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, somebody who was vociferous in holding previous Governments to account on failures of local amenities, encouraged us in the Opposition to tell people to use their local post office, even encouraging us to use our local post office, and I thought to myself, I do not need to encourage the people of Phibsborough to use their local post office. Every morning, from the early hours, they assemble outside. A collection of the community, people who are going about their day, will assemble at the post office, collect their payments and send their letters, and there is an abiding fear there that vital community resource will be taken away, whether I encourage them to use it or not.

The post office service in Ireland is a hub of community. It is the same in Drumcondra, where an elderly population assembles at the parcel station every morning and the first thing they do is meet a friend and engage in communication. Whatever business they have to do after 10 a.m. starts before that. It is a vital hub. The fear and anxiety that that resource might be gone is palpable.

What we actually need, rather than a patronising comment from the Government to encourage others to use the post office, is for the Government to take control of an issue such as post office infrastructure in Ireland, listen to the postmasters, who tell us the economic model is no longer viable, and provide incentives and intervention on behalf of the State. In the absence of a service such as the post office, the Government will not have a metric for the loss of a community amenity where people simply gather. It will just be gone, and that amenity will go with it. It will not be calculable in any sort of metric on a spreadsheet. It will be a loss of community. I would encourage that side of the House, the Government, to take a real interest in this, get a grip and, where necessary, provide the legislative changes or resources.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Postal workers, as the Minister of State will be aware, remain a traditional pillar of our communities. Like other such pillars, including nurses, social workers and youth workers, they are often taken for granted. We never truly understand the hidden magic behind their occupation, the relationships they build, the local knowledge they develop and the many tasks outside their job description they will do just to go that extra step, yet post offices continue to face existential questions. Why are post offices closing or relocating? Is it because the cost of running a business has become excruciatingly high? Is it because the model is outdated? Is it because the State is not utilising these community hubs to their full potential?

I fully agreed with the CEO of An Post this week, who was quoted in The University Times as stating that An Post and our postal workers are "essential infrastructure in the country", which is why announcements of closures or relocations are always met with anger, frustration and deep sadness.

Leixlip post office relocated in 2024 from its main-street location to a site on the outskirts of the town. Undoubtedly, this business decision was not taken lightly, but it was another example of the invasive erosion of our main-street culture. As each shop closes, one more reason to go into town goes with it. While unit after unit lies empty and desolate, the rent, the rates and the insurance bills stave off interest before a viewing is even scheduled, so we find ourselves with ever less reason to go to our main street.

The costs saved by a post office closure or move will be a bill picked up by the State elsewhere. Loneliness has become a disease on this island, and while this is not the official responsibility of our local post office, each loss or relocation contributions. A new CEO will take the helm at An Post this year. I wish them well, but they will not save our main street. That is not their job. They will not resolve loneliness. That is not their job. It is everybody's job here.

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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For years the local post office has been far more than a place at which to post a letter or collect a pension. In towns and villages up and down the country, the post office is essential to communities. It is a trusted service, a provider of employment and for many who are isolated, an important point of human contact.

However, we are continuing to watch local post offices come under pressure, reduce services and shorten opening hours, and there is a constant fear of further closures in communities.

This fear is not without reason. In January, Tulrohaun post office in Mayo closed after 150 years of service. Good luck to Catherine Delaney, the postmaster, who retired after 71 years of service. This brings to 19 the number of post offices that have closed in Mayo in the past decade. In October 2025, I was made aware of plans to close the Erris postal sorting centre in Barnatra. That sorting centre employs 13 postmen covering the Erris region, which is the size of County Louth. The facility in Barnatra was purpose-built in 2019 at a private cost, following assurances that no other sorting lease would be signed and it could operate the service long term.

In October, however, the staff were made aware there had been a decision to close the centre, requiring each of the 13 postmen to travel to the amalgamated sorting centre in Ballina, which would be a two-hour round trip daily. Through extensive engagement by the postal workers, the postmaster, me and Councillor Gerry Coyle, An Post confirmed Barnatra sorting office would remain open. I am pleased it listened to those concerns.

Only three months later, Ballyhaunis delivery service unit faces a similar fate. An Post confirmed plans to amalgamate the Ballyhaunis delivery service unit to Castlereagh. That service unit employs 13 local staff who are living in the community locally. Relocating this service would cause significant disruption to those employees and have a huge impact on the local economy. They have already lost two banks and a courthouse. The loss of this unit will have a very negative impact. I commend Councillor Alma Gallagher and the Ballyhaunis Chamber president, Anne Cunnane, on their extensive efforts to stop this. They are supported in their efforts by over 3,500 local people who voiced their concerns in a petition. The staff feel hoodwinked by An Post and their union and are dismayed with the engagement so far.

I welcome the recent announcement of €15 million per annum for the remainder of this Government term to support the stability and sustainability of the nationwide network of post offices. However, we need to engage closely on the ground with all stakeholders to ensure this funding is deployed effectively and sustainably.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on the vital role of our post office network, particularly in counties like Kerry where our post offices are the very heartbeat of our towns and villages. I sincerely thank the Government for its continued commitment to this network, in particular the approval of €75 million over the next five years. That investment sends a clear and strong signal that this Government recognises the social and economic importance of post offices in both rural and urban Ireland. In Kerry, from larger towns such as Tralee, Killarney or Listowel to the smaller towns of Kenmare, Killorglin, Castleisland, Dingle and Cahersiveen and our smaller villages and communities such as Milltown, Castlemaine, Rathmore, Sneem, Waterville, Fieries, Faha, Beaufort, Templenoe, Headfort, Chapeltown, Knight's Town, Castlegregory, Ballydavid, Clahane, Anascaul, Farranfore - I could go on - the local post office is often one of the last remaining public-facing services. It is where people collect their pensions, pay their bills and access financial services, where our children commence their savings, and just as importantly, where we meet neighbours and maintain social connections. For many elderly citizens especially, it is a lifeline.

While this funding of €75 million, or €15 million per annum, is welcome, we must look beyond the next five years. The key question now is what the long-term plan is to ensure the viability and sustainability of the post office network. We must ensure post offices are supported to diversify and expand the services they provide. There is enormous potential for greater integration with Government services, financial products, digital supports and community-based initiatives. In doing so, we can strengthen footfall, enhance revenue streams and secure their future. I am aware of a number of postmasters and postmistresses who have put their entire savings into keeping their doors open. That is wrong. We have to change that and support our post offices.

Will the Minister of State outline what strategic planning is under way to future-proof the network, not just to maintain it but to grow and modernise it, while ensuring it continues to serve our urban centres and our rural communities equally?

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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The Deputy is over time.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The post office network is a national asset. With the right vision and continued support, it can remain at the centre of community life for generations to come.

John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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This is a very important issue for rural Ireland in particular. In October 2024, in my own local village of Kinitty, which has a few hundred people living there and a thousand-odd people in the parish, news broke that the postmistress, Breda Byrne, was retiring. We had a public meeting to try to see if somebody could take it on. We tried to get a shop to take it on, but there was a very deep wound we could not heal. A scar is going to be there for many years to come and it is leaving a void in local communities that is replicated across the country. We have seen the closure of 50% of post offices since the nineties and a halving of post offices in Offaly. When we compare the national trend versus with what is happening in our county, it is out of sync with the pace of closures in other counties. It creates disruption and a lack of social interaction and cohesion, which is so important in all our communities. It impacts the local GAA club, the pub, the shop - whatever it is - in terms of that activity. I want to see how An Post moves forward, considering the strength it has today. It is a billion-euro business, so it is not all doom and gloom. There are proactive opportunities. It needs to be innovative. It has survived as the fittest in the face of the challenges. When other parcel networks have had to close due to financial challenges, An Post has picked up the slack. There is an element of innovation, but takeovers have also occurred.

However, it cannot turn its back on rural Ireland, and there has to be a greater sense of involvement in the cash activity in our local communities. Where the banks have tried to turn their backs on this, we need to give that responsibility or an element of it to An Post. Moreover, from the perspective of our circular economy, the likes of Vinted, online sales and the level of shipping happening now mean there is no reason it should not have an opportunity where there have been closures. Kiosks, depots and transaction portals could be put back in place. I would also like to see a succession training plan for how someone can take up a post office when it is about to close.

When will we have a year without the closures of a post office in this country? That should be a firm commitment from An Post.

Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Tá fíor-thábhacht le hOifig an Phoist timpeall na tíre. Tá sé i gcroílár an phobail i ngach pobal timpeall na tíre in Éirinn. Cuirim fáilte roimh a thuilleadh maoiniú. Timpeall is €15 milliún a fógraíodh i mí Eanáir. Is rud fíorthábhachtach é sin. Tá seirbhís poiblí riachtanach á chur ar fáil ag Oifig an Phoist fud fad na tíre.

As I have just said through Gaeilge, particularly during Seachtain na Gaeilge, the post office network and post offices play a vital part in our local communities, be that in rural or urban settings. What we are seeing a lot of in urban settings, and also in rural, is the retirement of postmasters and postmistresses who had family businesses. Those post offices are now moving to other settings. In Leixlip, for example, the post office was moved from the main street up to Barnhall, and it has been far more difficult for older people particularly to get to that part of the town. It is extremely difficult for those living in Confey to get up the hill to Barnhall on the far side of the town. As the Minister of State knows, the main clientele within post offices are older people in our communities. We need to pay heed to that and acknowledge, when new contracts are being awarded, that they should in a central location that is convenient for older people to get to.

In Celbridge, the Murray family has run the Celbridge post office since 1987, nearly 40 years, with Aileen and her mum, Eileen, before her. I thank them for their service to the community. There have been 11 bids for the post office in Celbridge, which I welcome. This means there will be a continuation of service, but it is critical that this service remain in a location that is accessible, not just for older people but also for people with disabilities and the entire community.

It has been touched on here that the diversification of the post office network is crucial. We have seen some of it particularly when it comes to parcels and social welfare payments, but we need to look at it as a hub in the community, which it is, and diversify from a business perspective.