Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I do not think anyone has cracked this yet. We will have to suit the system to our needs, particularly those of the rural population. There is probably no model comparable to Ireland because few countries have such a widely distributed population with many one-off houses. Anyone I have spoken to in the past three or four years recognises that change is coming and that it is likely to be connected to Internet technologies because this allows for a tracking of information and data. I envisage this will involve the provision of social, banking and other services by the post offices. It will ensure a volume of transactions sufficient to make it pay. I assume this will include parcel delivery, shopping and a range of other services which help to widen the choices available, especially in rural Ireland. It remains for the operator to work out exactly how it will and where the commercial opportunities lie.