Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail)

The Aire Stáit is very welcome to the Chamber for this important discussion. I rise to support the many statements that have been made by my colleagues across the Chamber and the very good points they have raised. I know the Minister of State comes from a rural constituency and, with his portfolio in the previous Government and his familiarity with agriculture and rural communities, he is all too aware of how important our post offices are to the fabric of society in rural communities. I am from a hybrid constituency, if you like. I am a country girl from a village but living on the outskirts of a city. Knowing your postman and that relationship you develop with your postperson is as important in the suburbs and the city as it is to those in the villages. That is to acknowledge the good work that is also being done in the suburbs.

I am not going to repeat the points that have already been made. I would just like to highlight one important overarching piece of policy that we are all trying to work to in government, which is of course Project Ireland 20240 and the national development plan. Our aim as a society in managing our population growth is to do that in a sustainable way, with only 25% of our population growth over the next number of years up to 2040 to be in Dublin. Our aim as a Government and as a State is to increase the number of people who are living in our already established villages and towns. With that in mind, it is critical we support the postmasters in the ask they come to us with to allow them that time to continue to rethink their operations and for us and the Government to work out how we might best use this valuable door into communities.

I commend the postmasters on the work they have already done in diversifying. I notice the many mobile phone and insurance offers available when I pop into my local post office. I commend them on the changes they have had to make and the new learnings and skills they have developed over recent years. I thank them for their continued work and services in our communities.