Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I move amendment No. 32:

In page 30, before section 30, but in Chapter 4, to insert the following new section:

30.—A postal service provider that operates a post office shall not close the post office (other than for a temporary purpose) without the consent, by reserved function, of the local authority in which the post office is situate.

This is a proposal to insert a new section entitled "Closure of certain postal infrastructure" in the case of this amendment, and "Closure of post boxes" in the case of amendment No. 33.

I was going to raise the issue of quality of service under section 27. It is an example of the closure of certain postal infrastructure and the withdrawal of services. It relates to north County Dublin, but I am sure it is fairly typical of what might be happening around the country. The Minister is interested in cricket, so he will know the geography of the places I will name and will also understand the difficulties I will outline.

An Post have proposed changes to arrangements for parcel and registered letter recovery, where these have not been delivered by the postman, in areas such as Rush, Lusk, Oldtown and Garrettstown. These changes will result in unnecessary costs and inconvenience to residents in these areas. If a postman or postwoman calls to a house in these areas to deliver a registered letter or a parcel but there is nobody at home, the postman or postwoman leaves a note to the effect that the letter or parcel may be collected at the post office in the places I referred to above. An Post is currently restructuring the delivery system in these areas and is in negotiation with the unions on these matters. However, as part of the restructuring being proposed, An Post is trying to implement changes to the collection system for failed deliveries of packages and registered letters, which must be signed for by a member of the family. Instead of a note stating that the item can be picked up at the local post office, the note will indicate that the item should be picked up at the Balbriggan depot. This is unacceptable and will result in unnecessary hardship for the people in question.

Garrettstown is about 20 km from Balbriggan and so it would require a 40 km round trip to pick up an undelivered parcel. Oldtown is just 18 km from Balbriggan and collecting a package or letter would mean a 36 km round trip. There is a limited public transport system available in these areas. If people do not have a car available before the Balbriggan depot closes, then they have no option but to take a taxi at great cost, and that can only happen if a taxi is available in these rural areas of north Fingal. Although there is a bus service between Lusk, Rush and Balbriggan, it is a big deal to make the journey there and back.

There is no credible reason for these changes. There is no associated productivity improvement which will deliver savings to An Post. The postman in the area will still return to the local post office every evening to leave the undelivered item in that office so that it is picked up and transferred from that local post office back to Balbriggan. This proposal makes no sense whatsoever. A further reduction in services provided by rural post offices must be dropped. My fear is that this change may be a precursor to the closure of these rural post offices, and my amendment refers to this.

The customer charter of An Post states "All of us at An Post are committed to offering you high quality services that meet your needs". The proposed changes do not meet the needs of rural people in Fingal and should be dropped. I raise this issue so the Minister could take a look at this and raise the matter with An Post on my behalf. His colleague in the Green Party, Deputy Sargent, could also be interested in a rethink by An Post on these issues.