Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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When is it proposed to take Report Stage?

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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Now.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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When is it proposed to take the next Stage?

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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Now.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank all in the Seanad here today and all in the Dáil last week for the expeditious treatment of this Bill. An Post has been paying from its current resources for this increased payment to post offices across the country since the start of this year. We wanted to make sure that this legislation was passed before the summer recess in order that from a Government point of view, we can make the €15 million payment to An Post to cover the payments it already has made out and see it covered from now to the end of the year as well. I thank all in the Oireachtas for their engagement and co-operation in this regard and for their unified support for the post office network.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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We support this legislation. It is really important. I have an observation on the comment the Minister of State made about the post office in Rathmines. It will go to a private operator and he will be very good. He puts customer service at the front of his business model. The difficulty is that were that business model to change over time ,where then would the post office go? There is a real concern that it is privatising that postal service. It is about ensuring that while it is there in the Centra in Rathmines, it will operate well for residents. The difficulty is that if the model changes, it is probably gone. This is what happened in Sandymount, in Harold's Cross, in Donnybrook and in Kevin Street. The model of the private operator changes and then the post office is gone. It is nigh impossible to find an alternative operator.

In the meantime, this magnificent art deco building, which has been in the hands of the local community and An Post for 90 years serving the community, is going to be gone. It is a magnificent building. It has huge opportunity to be the jewel in the crown in Rathmines but unfortunately, it is going to be sold off and God knows what will happen to it then. It is a huge loss to the Rathmines community. Letting properties like this go is a huge mistake. We do not have to look any further than Kevin Street. The college in Kevin Street was serving the public and it was a Department of education building. It served generations of people in educating communities. The Government decided to sell it off to a private developer to pay for the Grangegorman campus but now the State has had to buy it back. The local authorities, funded by the State, have bought this building back to build offices for Dublin City Council. Of course, that is another issue. The fact is that selling off public buildings like the post office in Rathmines is, in my view, a huge mistake. In generations to come we will recognise that this was a huge mistake. I would like really like to see the Government put in a huge effort, together with Dublin City Council, to ensure it is kept in State ownership.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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Before we conclude, it would be remiss of me not to wish the Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, a very speedy recovery. On our behalf I wish him all the best.