Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator for sharing this Commencement matter with me. It is a big issue. We had a meeting with over 12 councillors in Roscommon town only a few days ago. It is frustrating. This is a service and a crucial amenity. I understand that the model has to be looked at, that there is an impact from Brexit and Covid and that we are seeing a lot more in terms of e-commerce, online shopping and retail, but we need to maintain our An Post services, including for financial transactions and money banking. The bill-paying and normal over-the-counter services also need to be considered. They need to be maintained, as Senator Murphy has said, in our county towns.

Is the GPO going to be outsourced to a SuperValu on O'Connell Street? Is that what the plan is? I would love to see that. I note that An Post's corporate services have already moved to the new Exo building at the end of the quays, but is it planning on moving everything out of the GPO? What are we going to do and where do we make a stand? Is An Post seriously going to streamline itself out of existence? The last report published noted that 300 full-time equivalent staff are no longer on the books. The organisation is looking at contracting out to our postmasters, who - do not get me wrong - do an excellent job and are expanding the services. I know there are many pros and cons around the postmasters in terms of co-location, reducing costs, including for heating and security, expanding the services and making buildings accessible. This is an iconic building that has been there since 1911. It is listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. What happens to that building now? There is a challenge when a listed building is taken on for development for a commercial entity or enterprise. I feel that county towns should retain a direct An Post employee presence and at the moment, this does not appear to be the case.