Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister was here last week and is no stranger to the House. I welcome him back to discuss this important and urgent legislation. Given the position of the postal service, I hope the Bill will go some way towards resolving An Post's problems in the short term. Any delay in passing it would not be appropriate.

The amendment proposes to change the universal social obligation with regard to parcel post, express post and other issues. As the Minister explained, it would be inappropriate to do so. When the amendments were introduced in the Dáil their proposers withdrew them in response to the arguments made by the Minister. It would be helpful if the House were to compromise on these issues to allow the Bill to pass and place An Post on a good footing for a short period. We all know radical changes will be made to An Post's structure in future. That is the real issue. We are fighting over minor issues such as the universal social obligation that applies to parcel delivery and express post. These are areas where the market is highly competitive. It is logical to change the legislation regarding this matter.

I request that the amendment be withdrawn. This would send out a signal that Members of the Oireachtas are putting their shoulders to the wheel on this important issue. We need to firm up An Post and the Chamber must send out the right vibe because An Post faces serious issues. I am greatly concerned about the organisation and wish the Minister the best of luck in this matter. In some senses, we should save the debate for the bigger issues coming down the line because they will present significant challenges to everyone in the Chamber.