Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

The Senator sought a debate on adult education, which we will endeavour to have. Next week is the last week the Minister of State at the Department of Education, Deputy de Valera, will be in the Houses and it would be good to have someone of her calibre here.

Senator Finucane referred to the closure of post offices. The European diktat insists that the service must be put to tender. Warnings have been issued for the past ten years and Ireland keeps passing them on to the post offices. If the postal service cannot win the tender in an open market, post offices will close. The Government does not seek this, despite what other contributors have said. This €50 million contract keeps post offices going in many rural areas. Certain people always talk about how we must save our post offices, a point with which I agree. However, do we always use them? Do people who live in rural areas with small post offices within their catchment areas carry out their business in them? Senator Finucane said post offices are the heartbeat of a community in rural Ireland, which is a very good phrase. Post offices are the heartbeat of rural communities but they will grind to a halt if people do not use them, if the €50 million contract is lost or if the European dictum in respect of social welfare is implemented.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs wishes everyone to receive their payments electronically. This is fine in theory but many people in rural areas, particularly elderly people, do not wish to avail of this option. Rather than go to a bank they want to go to a place where they know the man or woman behind the counter who will give them their pensions and engage in social interaction.