Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

Very well. Again, this point is expressed in my amendment No. 16, which includes the phrase, "and having regard to the cost to the consumer and to the quality of service". One does not want a situation to arise in which, between information technology on one side and private operators on the other, there is no provision for State support for An Post in a doomsday scenario. I acknowledge Members will discuss State support later. If no State support is to be forthcoming for An Post in a doomsday scenario, which is what the Bill proposes in its current form, if one accepts the reality of information technology being of great importance at present, and if one intends to allow in private operators, one is coming at the universal service obligation in a big way, which makes it all the more an imperative that this obligation be supported legislatively.