Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the EU Commission might look on a proposal to assist in the reorganisation and financing of An Post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14497/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 149: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the EU Commission might look on a proposal to assist in the reorganisation and financing of An Post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14727/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 149 together.

I am aware that services of general economic interest, such as postal services, can benefit from certain financial measures only to the extent that such measures are necessary to fulfil public service obligations. This is the basis on which the Commission approved the €12.7 million equity injection to An Post in 2002, to fund a modernisation programme. There are no proposals to pay further State aid to the Company.

The Government and An Post are committed to the maintenance of a nationwide post office network and to the universal mail delivery service, which requires that mail be delivered at a uniform tariff to every address in the State. To ensure that these commitments continue to be honoured, the fundamental requirement is not for state aid but rather for An Post to address certain structural and strategic issues relating to the mail service and the post office network respectively.

In regard to mail delivery and collection, exhaustive negotiations are ongoing between unions and management, with the assistance of the State's industrial relations machinery to conclude a recovery plan that all agree is necessary. I have urged both sides to work to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion.

Turning to the nationwide post office network, the challenge for the company is to develop a comprehensive strategy that satisfies the needs of existing customers while attracting new customers into the post office. An Post has already had some success in winning new business and continues to benefit from a considerable amount of Government business, especially in the areas of social welfare payments and savings products. To ensure that our post offices remain attractive to customers, future strategy must satisfactorily address electronic technology issues in a comprehensive fashion. In the interim, a pilot project will see ten small post offices computerised.

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has come to conclusions in regard to the likely future role for An Post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14495/05]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which assessment has been carried out with a view to the determination of suitable and compatible services that might be available to An Post and the post offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14486/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has had any recent discussions with An Post management or unions with particular reference to the role he envisages for the postal service and post offices in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14484/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has had any recent discussions with An Post management or unions with particular reference to the role he envisages for the postal service and post offices in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14715/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which assessment has been carried out with a view to the determination of suitable and compatible services that might be available to An Post and the post offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14717/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 148: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has come to conclusions in regard to the likely future role for An Post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14726/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 39, 98, 138, 140 and 148 together.

There will continue to be a key national role for An Post, both in delivery of mails and as a quality service provider through its nationwide network of post office outlets. The market for traditional postal and post office services is changing globally and meeting customer needs has become more important than ever. In order to remain competitive, An Post needs to make the best possible use of its long established and trusted brand name and deploy its resources in a manner which continues to serve existing customers' needs and attracts additional customers for a range of new services.

There is agreement that change is required if the postal services of An Post are to adapt to the modern business environment and to continue to offer a top class nationwide delivery service to the customer into the future. To progress the change agenda, an exhaustive process of negotiation between An Post management and An Post trades unions, with the assistance of the State's industrial relations machinery, has been ongoing for some time. To keep up the momentum of the process and in an effort to resolve all remaining difficulties on collection and delivery arrangements, the outstanding issues are currently being dealt with in the Labour Court with a view to agreeing a way forward that will see the company placed on a secure financial footing.

With regard to the future of the post office network, this Government and the board of An Post are committed to the objective of securing a viable and sustainable nationwide post office network as set out in the programme for Government. I have met the Irish Postmasters' Union and I have listened to its views with interest. I have also emphasised to An Post management the importance of developing a long-term strategy for the network.

The challenge for the company is to develop a strategy that satisfies the needs of existing customers, while attracting new customers into the post office. An Post has already had some success in winning new business and continues to benefit from a considerable amount of Government business, especially in the areas of social welfare payments and savings products. To ensure that our post offices remain attractive to customers, future strategy must satisfactorily address electronic technology issues in a comprehensive fashion. In the interim, a pilot project will see ten small post offices computerised.