Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)

I echo the sentiments of the previous speakers and thank the Minister and Minister of State for listening to the numerous contributions in this House earlier this year calling for additional support for the post office network. I thank the Minister of State for taking that on board because, as previous speakers have mentioned, we are not just talking about a service. We are talking about an institution in rural Ireland. We are talking about the cornerstone and flagstone of rural communities. It is great to hear that the long-term future of the post office and the post office network in rural Ireland has been protected from 1 January with the additional allocation.

I compliment Senator Joe Conway on acknowledging Deputy Carrigy's statement. Thank God, he did not mention the lines I was going to use from the same statement. Deputy Carrigy said that the funding will help secure the future of a 933-strong network, including 880 branches operated by independent postmasters. It is also worth acknowledging that these post offices are small businesses and employ over 1,400 people nationwide so their contribution to our local communities cannot be lost out on either.

Senator Ní Chuilinn spoke about some of the statistics. When we spoke earlier this year, we heard about findings from a Red C poll. It revealed that 91% of respondents agreed that the post office remained crucial in today's digital world, while 78% stated that their local post offices offered valuable services that cannot easily be found elsewhere. We did not have to shout too loud to get the message out there about the importance of this rural network. I spoke earlier today about older people and addressing loneliness, isolation and mental health. We can never forget the position of the post office network in addressing that. Yesterday, I had a tour group of 46 people from Drum in south Roscommon in the House. They asked after a postman named Danny Burke from Castlerea who is in his late 80s. The people from Drum were still asking about him because of his impact on them when he served them and their community. We cannot forget that.

People do not want to see old post office buildings closing down and they are fighting such closures. The post office network is not just bricks and mortar. It is a living institution that has and always will have a place in all of our communities because of the support it has received. Yesterday's edition of the Roscommon Herald recognised Paul Kelly, a new postmaster who is moving the post office from the old premises to Kelly's SuperValu in Boyle. This new premises will open in February 2026. The support of the Minister of State in getting access to funding has enabled that to happen. I thank him for that.