Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. One of the most topical issues dealt with in the Bill is the provision allowing for the designation of post offices as the provider of cash services for the Department of Social Protection. I fully understand why the Minister has to bring forward these particular amendments, which are technical in nature. We cannot ignore EU law on procurement. There are genuine concerns that we might be accused of infringing competition law or leave the way open for a competitor to argue that there is not a level playing field in the market. I followed with interest the debate on this Bill in the Dáil. I cannot understand why any Member would ask the Minister to flout EU law on procurement and thereby leave the Department open to legal challenge.

Like all rural Members, I recognise the value of the post office to rural communities. It is the hub of the community, a place where people can catch up on all the news - who has got married, who has had a baby and who, unfortunately, has passed away. In my parish we have a fantastic family-run post office which is at the heart of the community, whose staff know all the parishioners personally and who keep the community updated on events. No money can buy that type of personal service. It is particularly invaluable for elderly people who do not have access to social media. In fact, the local post office is their social media.

The Minister has secured the contract for An Post to provide the service for the next two years, with an option to renew annually up to a total of six years. It is a very welcome development and coincides with the equally welcome news that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, is working with the board of An Post, other Departments and other public bodies to develop a whole-of-government approach to the delivery of public services through the post office network. I support that approach and look forward to the outcome of the review.

Senator Paschal Mooney asked how we should address the reality that some people prefer to have their payments processed electronically through their bank accounts. Clearly, it is people's democratic right to do what they want with their money. However, the Minister did manage to ensure that jobseeker's allowance is to be paid via cash only, which was another great boost to the post office network. Perhaps more schemes could be adapted to require that payment be collected in person.

The public has a huge role to play in safeguarding the future of their local post office. There is no point in putting up a public outcry when the news comes that it might be closing; that is bound to happen if people are not actually using its services. We need to drive the message home that we can only do so much in this Chamber. Communities have the power in their hands to protect their post office by making sure they use it.

I welcome the provision in subsection 8(2) whereby payment in respect of a qualified adult will not be paid if the latter does not reside in the State. This has been a bone of contention for the public for some time. At the same time, there are several genuine reasons that a qualified adult could be residing outside the State for a period of time, such as where a parent must accompany a sick child who needs specialised treatment in a hospital or clinic abroad, for example, or a person needs to travel overseas to tend to a sick or elderly parent. I hope the Minister will make provision in the legislation for those types of circumstances.