Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and compliment him on his presentation on this important issue. Basically, we are seeking to pass legislation that will hopefully ensure the postal service will be viable into the future and particularly in the short term. A further body of work is required to ensure the postal service can progress in the long term.

The postal service is at a crossroads. There have been dramatic changes in volume and in how the public, not only in Ireland but also throughout the world, communicates. Electronic mail has become the main form of communication for many industries across the world and that will affect how we will promote our postal service. We must examine international models in that regard. The pricing structure An Post has at present is at the lower end of international pricing levels. It is a key issue we must examine. It is not popular to say this but we must look at the current pricing structure. We have debated this issue in the communications committee. All of the main players appeared before the committee, which was very helpful, and we teased out many of the key issues that are important for this project. I believe the two-year review is important because we can examine where the pricing structures will be two years hence. However, the long-term issue is the Bobby Kerr report and how we can promote the postal service and the network of post offices around Ireland.

For years we have had the problem of post offices closing. Now the issue is that postmasters do not wish to take up the opportunity of operating a post office in a village because they do not think it is viable. We have come full circle, so there must be a review of how the service will be promoted into the future. The postal service has lost services it could have provided, such as the driver licence service. We should have considered that for the post office setting, given that it had the services and infrastructure required. Unfortunately, it did not work out when it came to the tendering. If we had services such as that linked to the postal service it would promote the service in the future.

However, this is a crossroads and the legislation must be supported. It was supported in the Dáil by all parties aside from one amendment that was supported by the Government. It is important to pass this legislation as soon as possible so we can steady the ship for the future. If we pass the legislation through all Stages by next week it will go a long way towards putting the postal service on a good footing in the short term. However, the long-term issue must be debated. In fairness to the Minister of State, he is very much aware of that and I am sure he and the Minister, Deputy Naughten, will come forward with the longer-term plan that is required to ensure the postal service is saved.