Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if it is proposed to retain the social welfare contract with An Post; the planned changes to that arrangement; the way in which this will affect payments to social welfare recipients through post offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12584/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department currently issues approximately 1.1 million weekly payments of which 58% are paid through An Post. The Government's decision in 1999 to extend the Department's existing contractual arrangements with An Post gave rise to a complaint being lodged with the European Commission in 2000. That complaint was subsequently referred by the European Commission to the European Court of Justice. In the meantime An Post, with the agreement of the Commission, has continued to provide the service on an interim arrangement basis and they have done so since 1 January 2000. There are no plans to change this arrangement.

While not wishing to pre-empt the outcome of the case before the European Court of Justice, I am confident that An Post will continue to have an important role in the delivery of services for my Department into the future.