Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Barrett in a request for a debate on Northern Ireland as a matter of urgency. I request the Leader to invite the Taoiseach to address the House on a serious situation. I support my colleague, Senator Denis O'Donovan, in his request that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, attend the House to discuss the future of rural post offices. The issue has been raised over the past number of weeks. While I appreciate the replies to the Leader and the Deputy Leader, it is a serious situation and the Minister must come and outline Government plans to sustain post offices, particularly in rural Ireland. There should be positive discrimination towards rural Ireland in respect of post offices and other services, including representation at local and national political levels. The Labour Party policy on local government involves taking away representation from rural Ireland and moving it to the heavily populated areas of the east coast. Will the Labour Party pursue this policy in respect of post offices?