Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

I concur with much of what Senator Wilson has said and the Leader should give his request due consideration. I also agree with my colleague, Senator John Kelly, on the security and role of rural post offices. The post office network is extremely important and has the potential to act as a one-stop-shop for many of the services that are splintered among various offices such as local government, banks or other institutions. The network deserves to be considered for upgrading and security at post offices needs to be reviewed. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, to come here in September to discuss the existing security protocols for small rural post offices. People and the staff, who are mostly female, are vulnerable in such offices. I ask that the protocols be reviewed and upgraded because there have been too many attacks on post offices in recent times. One post office in Dublin was attacked two weeks on the trot. The issue is extremely serious and we, as parliamentarians, have a responsibility to highlight it and to ensure that action is taken. I have utter confidence in the senior management of An Post but the Oireachtas has a role in ensuring that post offices are utilised to their full potential and that the thousands of people who work in them can do so safely.

I wish my colleagues an enjoyable summer break. I remind them that there are many facilities and services to be seen in County Clare if any of them wish to spend their hard earned money there.