Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful to the Minister of State for taking this operation today. The background to this matter is a letter that I received on behalf of the Belgrave Residents’ Association regarding the proposed closure of Rathmines post office and its transfer of services to another location in the area which is, as yet, unknown. The matter is the subject of much disquiet in the locality. At a Green Party meeting on May 2, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, said that no decisions had been made on Rathmines post office. Later, at the same meeting, he said that the service would remain in the same building. However, letters sent to the Minister by the residents’ association have been replied to by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Jack Chambers, who is responsible for postal policy. On 10 May, the Minister of State replied:

In accordance with section 8.22 of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, all State bodies are required to seek the approval of the relevant Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in advance of any material acquisition or disposal of lands, buildings or other material assets.

The public affairs manager of An Post had replied to residents’ queries on April 18 stating, “as soon as the new Postmaster is in situ, we intend to place the building on the market.” An Post further stated: “All services currently provided in Rathmines post office would be provided in [what it described as] “a bright, modern, purpose fitted post office nearby.” Residents wish to know exactly where this new location is. What I am asking is whether Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has indicated his approval to the sale or disposal of the art deco building in Rathmines. As the Minister of State will appreciate, this is a purpose-built art deco building. It was built to be a post office and the suggestion that services are going to be located to somewhere else or that they are going to be located in the same building is not satisfactory.The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has asked a number of Ministers to deal with this on his behalf. He asked the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to deal with the matter in the Dáil. On that occasion, the Dáil was informed that:

In accordance with section 8.22 of the code of practice, all State bodies are required to seek the approval of the relevant Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in advance of any material acquisition or disposal of land, buildings or other material assets proposed by a State body. An Post is aware of the requirement for compliance with the code of practice. An Post has indicated that the change in business model of the six offices will not in any way alter the range or extent of the services offered by An Post in those locations.

Is Rathmines the location or is it the existing post office that is the location? Nothing is clear about that. The one thing that has been absent in all of this is the very simple question of whether the Minister has given approval for the disposal of the Rathmines post office by An Post. A simple yes-no answer should be forthcoming to that.