Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The new deal for post offices has been endorsed by 80% of postmasters and postmistresses. Of the 1,189 post offices, 584 voted in favour. Did any of the postmasters and postmistresses seek legal advice on what they were signing? Incidentally, the documents they signed are not legally binding. They were offered a new contract, which involves taking an exit package of €15,000 or €25,000. Those who choose to remain on the current package face being wound down as their income will be only be guaranteed for two and a half years, after which they will be on their own. It costs €75 million per annum to run the post office network, yet the Government only committed €30 million this year, of which €15 million is for the mail division and a further €15 million is for the post office network. It is proposed to shut down 390 post office branches, which means only the great will survive. The banks have left our towns and villages and members of the public must deal with machines every time they visit a bank branch, even in Ranelagh.