Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I am conscious that we are discussing the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2016. I take the opportunity to share some of my concerns. I recently met representatives of the Irish Postmasters Union, IPU. We can talk at great length of our own experiences and our own views of post offices, but we must recognise that they are a national social asset. They are also a very important community hub. An Post has an opportunity to expand its service offering. It has an amazing network. It is the biggest single retail network across the country which presents great opportunities.

It is clear that there are issues, particularly at a time when the Government has made a big pitch on balanced urban-rural regional development across the country. There are particular issues for rural communities with small post offices. However, many post offices are also facing closure in suburbs of Dublin. These are in places where there is no public transport, many elderly people and many people who wish to avail of the services. That is an important point. We do not seem to have a definitive policy on where the future for An Post lies. Where is the future for this small but very important hub in the heart of urban and rural communities? As I have said, they represent the largest network of retail units in the country.

I want to focus on six points the Irish Postmasters' Union raised with me. It wants the Government to recognise the post office network as a national asset and to ensure its future by making it the provider of choice and the front office for all Government services such as motor tax, hospital charges, local property taxes and perhaps other taxes and charges. How can it be used as a community hub offering more services? There is a possibility of MABS information, local outreach Garda clinics, citizens information, etc. How can we tie in all of these with the established hubs of post offices? The need to recognise the post office network as a national asset is important and must be taken on board.

The IPU wants to secure the role of post offices in delivering Department of Social Protection payments, either by means of cash or direct electronic payment, and maintaining the existing rates. That can be developed and expanded within the post office role. The IPU believes there is potential to grow that area. It wishes to provide funding for a standard bank account through the post office network to ensure financial inclusion for all. The potential for that growth is important. It also wishes to quantify the social role which post offices provide. I do not believe the importance of that has been quantified and teased out. The IPU refers to the onus on the State to provide equality for citizens under Article 45 of the Constitution. We need to provide services equally to all people in the nation. There are some grounds there and the Minister of State might like to look at that.

The union wants the Government to instruct An Post to immediately cease any action, over the "post and pay" pilot project, which could be construed as establishing an alternative network.The IPU has concerns about the damage alternative networks may do to the post office.

I will conclude because those are the six key points the members of the IPU wish to have addressed. They seek a comprehensive commercial review of the network to be carried out to ensure its viability for the foreseeable future. That does not mean coming up with suggestions that it is not viable, but to come up with an imaginative plan for the future of the post office and the service it offers its community, and particularly rural people. I will not discuss transport or telephone services at length. Earlier a Member spoke about the cuts in telephone services for rural communities. There is a range of cuts and people in isolated, rural communities are suffering. There is a real need for a strategic plan that recognises the important community asset the local post office is and the important contact it provides. It must be supported. A strategic policy is required on how to secure and retain post offices throughout the country, be they in urban or rural areas.