Results 6,641-6,660 of 10,460 for speaker:Gerry Horkan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: My apologies for interrupting but at the same time, I presume An Post knows how much every single post office earns through the An Post network, because it is paying the postmasters. It knows from its own database that there is a post office at the bottom of the list which earns very little and one at the top of the list which earns a great deal. It has a full range of data and presumably...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: They also have equally different revenue bases.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: This is not the revenue of €10 million but is a subsidy or Government support of €10 million.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: Will each post office know how much of the €10 million they would be entitled to?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: It is possible that there is quite a number of those post offices with the least amount of transaction-based revenue that will get the most of this funding and that some at the higher end of transaction-based revenue will not get any of this €10 million. Would that be a fair comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: Everyone will get something.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: That makes total sense. I agree.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: It is an element, therefore, of having a public service obligation, PSO-type levy. I probably should not even mention aviation after the last three hours of discussion we just had, but routes are subsidised to places like Donegal. We are not subsidising routes to London or Brussels but we have PSO-type passenger services because they are needed and would not be commercially viable otherwise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: This is similar to how we are funding broadband which I know is also part of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. To touch on the wider network of An Post, where does the Minister of State, An Post or the Department see the network in three, five or ten years' time? I expect and anticipate that with broadband and as more of the population becomes digitally...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: It is very fair to say the An Post brand is a very trusted one which I cannot overstate, similar to the way the Minister of State cannot overstate the value she places on her Department officials. The An Post brand is far more trusted than many of the pillar or other bank identities are. There is an element of doubt about the banks but everybody trusts the An Post network even if it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: The subsidy or grant option for those in need of it most is a great idea. Ideally, it is all the better where it can be commercially viable without the need for subsidies. The message that needs to go from this committee to all our friends and to all the people who value the service is very much a case of use it or lose it. They need to give people the business. We had a ferry service in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: I worry when the Minister of State mentions, for example, motor tax. I do not know what the percentage is but I presume that the percentage of people doing that online at this stage is very high. We all remember the old days of having to go in, queue up, and bring this, that, and the other document. Now one can do this with a series of clicks and it arrives two days later. Over time that...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, to the House. He has taken this Bill through the Dáil and now the Seanad.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 are related and will be discussed together. Is that agreed? Agreed. Before I call Senator Ó Donnghaile to move amendment No. 1, I see Councillor Albert Dolan from Galway County Council has joined us and I welcome him. It is always good to see members of our electorate and local government in the House.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: When is it proposed to take next Stage?

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: When is it proposed to take next Stage?

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Annual Transition Statement: Statements (22 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth.

Seanad: Annual Transition Statement: Statements (22 Jun 2022)

Gerry Horkan: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive opening statement. I advice all Senators that I will not give them the same latitude that I gave him.