David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I second Senator O'Donnell's amendment to the Order of Business. I met representatives of the Irish Postmasters Union yesterday. The form shows clear bias towards financial institutions over post offices. It directs people to use a financial institution instead of a post office. That flies in the face of the assurances given by the Ministers for Social Protection and Communications, Energy and Natural Resources that there is no inherent bias towards financial institutions when it comes to social welfare payments, and that post offices and banks are treated equally. That is simply not the case. If Senators read the forms they will see what they are telling people. They even state that it is in individuals' interest to go to financial institutions. That is even worse than a clear bias because if people withdraw from their post offices and go to financial institutions, there will be job losses and closures of post offices. Post offices have already closed in many rural areas. I need not rehearse the argument about the impact on rural communities and even urban centres, where post offices provide a crucial social service.

In regard to the one parent family changes which come into effect in July, the SPARK organisation is protesting outside Leinster House today. These changes will drive more families and, especially, women into poverty. I was in this Chamber in 2012 when the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection said she would not implement these changes until proper social and affordable, or Scandinavian as she put it, child care was available to the citizens of this State.