Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 271: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of sub post offices which were in operation on 1 January 1997 on a county basis; the number in operation at present; if he has satisfied himself that every effort is being made to encourage new applicants to take over in cases in which the postmaster or mistress is retiring; if sufficient effort is being made to computerise especially small rural post offices; his views on whether they provide an important and vital service to the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11780/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The information regarding the number of post offices in operation on 1 January 1997, the number in operation at present and the number of postal agencies is set out in Appendix 1.

In every instance where a post office is closed, the vacancy is advertised by An Post as a postal agency and it is only when no suitable applicant can be found to take over the running of the post office that an office is closed.

With regard to computerisation of non-automated offices, the automated network accounts for over 95% of An Post's counter business. This means the 1,000 automated offices transact 95% of counter business while 475 non-automated offices undertake 5% of business. This figure clearly illustrates the level of business transacted by individual non-automated offices. The current level of automated coverage is considered by An Post to be extremely comprehensive by any objective standard and this level of coverage makes it difficult to justify on either customer-service or economic ground the extension of automation to all offices, regardless of their location or business volumes.

Automation of the post office network was completed in 1997. It is, therefore, only in very exceptional circumstances — such as an existing automated office closing and its equipment being transferred to a suitable neighbouring location which transacts significant volumes of welfare business — that offices are automated today. Nevertheless, An Post will undertake a pilot project to automate a selected number of non-automated offices to gauge the effect on new business.

The Government is committed to a viable and sustainable rural post office network providing a range of services to meet consumer needs. This commitment is illustrated by the Government injection of €12.7 million into the network in 2003 to facilitate modernisation measures. The Government has also strongly supported An Post initiatives such as the channelling of new utility and banking services through the network.