Seanad debates
Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Post Office Network
10:30 am
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, is very welcome. Senators Murphy and Dolan are sharing time.
Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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On behalf of Senator Dolan and I, I thank the Cathaoirleach for adding this matter to the agenda at short notice. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I know that the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, is not available. He has been in contact with our offices and will be following up.
Last Friday morning, a colleague of mine, Councillor Marty McDermott, rang me in deep shock. He asked me if I was aware that Roscommon town post office building is to be closed. I could not believe it. I started making inquiries and working on the issue. Regrettably, I found that An Post had reached a decision to close the building. I should make clear that there is no threat to the postal service. There is some confusion over that. This is about the closure of an iconic building that has been there for many years, dating back to the foundation of the State. It is a beautiful building in the square in Roscommon town. The Government has pumped millions into the town to improve it. As Senator Dolan will attest, there are beautiful arrangements in place, and a lot of money has been spent. The Government has spent €20 million on a new water treatment system around the town. All of it is welcome investment. Now, An Post is deciding to close this building.
Why is it so annoying to the people? I will tell Members why. As far as I can establish, this is the first county town in which An Post has decided to do this. It wants to sell off what is a beautiful iconic building and a social hub for people. We are utterly and totally opposed to it. With the councillors on Roscommon County Council and all of our Oireachtas people, we are asking An Post to call this off. It is not on and it is not acceptable. I have no difficulty with the post office business. My issue is not with the business. I have a difficulty with An Post, that is very much supported by the Government, doing something like this when very little is known about it. I will hand over to Senator Dolan, who will take up the story from there.
Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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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.
Pippa Hackett (Green Party)
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I thank the Senators for raising this issue. It is a very pertinent issue and one I can relate to, being from County Mayo. I am aware of the importance of the post office in any town. I welcome the opportunity to outline the position on this matter today on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers.
An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to act commercially. As such, day-to-day operational matters, including decisions in relation to the size, distribution and future of the network, are matters for the board and the management of the company, and not ones in which the Minister or Minister of State has a statutory function. However, the Minister and Minister of State are both very aware of the impact that decisions relating to changes in An Post operations have on communities and individuals in both rural and urban areas. The Department will engage with An Post to outline and highlight the concerns which have been raised by staff, customers and the wider community.
As the Senators have both outlined, this is an iconic building in Roscommon town, and I know how important it is to the people of Roscommon and the wider area. As they have alluded to, in line with its ongoing transformation, An Post announced last week that it proposes converting six post offices from An Post-run to contractor-run, one of which is the Roscommon town office.Fewer than 40 post offices of a total of more than 900 across the State are now run directly by An Post. An Post has outlined that the change in business model of the six offices will not in any way change the range or extent of the services offered by An Post in those selected locations and the company remains committed to providing each area with the highest standard of services for the future. An Post has advised that staff employed at the post offices in question will have options, including taking up the employment as the new postmaster or being redeployed within the network.
The Government's objectives for the An Post network include harnessing the opportunities presented by e-commerce and the digital economy and delivering a sustainable nationwide post office network at the heart of communities, offering a range of e-commerce, financial and Government services. The Government agreed that an amount of €10 million per annum will be provided by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications over a three-year fixed term to support the postmasters, with funding to be disbursed across the post office network. The funding is being paid monthly for each 12-month period. Over €9.7 million has been claimed by An Post for 2023 for the postmaster network.
The programme for Government recognises that a modernised post office network will provide a better range of financial and e-commerce services for citizens and enterprise as part of its commitment to a sustainable nationwide post office network. The overall €30 million in funding being provided to support a sustainable nationwide post office network is in line with this commitment. That commitment is valid. It is good the modernise the post office system but, in saying that, I do appreciate the concerns regarding this particular building and moving the post office out of it.
Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge that the Ministers are going to become involved in this. That is crucially important. My Oireachtas colleagues and I are working on getting a meeting with the Minister of State, Deputy Jack Chambers, and I believe that is going to happen.
This is a listed building. I know the Minister of State has a great interest in heritage herself. I do not want it sold off. As a listed building, there will be limitations on what can be done with it. We all know that. If the building is not efficient, surely there are ways An Post can make it more efficient in light of all of the schemes out there. This is a crucial issue for the people of Roscommon town and the county. As I said, it is a hub and a meeting place. It may be more used by older people as many young people do not use the post office. It is beautiful and very well-received in the area and the staff are excellent and interact in a great way. I have to hand back to Senator Dolan, but I thank the Minister of State for being here.
Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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I know the Minister of State is taking this debate on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Jack Chambers. My colleague Senator Murphy is going to be working with the Minister of State and me. I have raised this issue with our parliamentary party and with the Taoiseach's office. It is crucial that we look at our long-term strategy. I know €10 million a year is being allocated from An Post, but is that just for the postmasters? What happens to services directly employed by An Post? How do we maintain them? What is the long-term strategy? How do we ensure that services are on main streets in town centres? What service provider is going to pay extra for rent on the main street when he or she could pay half the price four or five miles up the road? What is An Post going to do about these listed buildings? If someone decides to take on this contract, how is An Post going to support him or her to maintain the post office in the same location and perhaps to expand the building to make sure it is fit for purpose for people in the town and for the employees? More needs to be done and to be looked at.
Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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Before I call on the Minister of State, I note that I do not see any statement on this circulating.
Pippa Hackett (Green Party)
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I have copies here. No one ever came up to me to ask for them.
Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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That is okay. Members can get them when they go out.
Pippa Hackett (Green Party)
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I appreciate the concerns about this. I cannot really speak to what the plans are for this particular building but, as the Senators have said, it is an iconic building in the town and it has a great connection with the community. It is important that, whatever happens, the post office remains a central facility for people in the town to use. An Post tells me that the services will remain the same wherever the post office is located and that there will not be any falling back on the services. That is important because, in my own area, I have seen towns and villages that have lost services entirely. I will bring the Senators' concerns about the building back to both Ministers and see if there are any plans that can be shared.
Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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Before I go any further, I welcome a transition year student from Portarlington, Conor Dunne, who is here for a two-week placement. He is very welcome.