Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 44: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if An Post has applied to the regulator for a 25% increase in the price of a postage stamp; his views on the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14401/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that An Post applied for a price increase to the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, in May 2004. Under the European Communities postal services regulations 2002, ComReg is the designated independent body responsible for pricing policy in the postal sector with regard to the universal service segment of the postal market. I have no function in any consideration of this matter nor on the timing of any decision by ComReg.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the plans he has to establish An Post on a sound financial and business footing with particular reference to the ongoing need for a modern, efficient and effective post and packaging service in keeping with modern technological advances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14536/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the plans he has to establish An Post on a sound financial and business footing with particular reference to the ongoing need for a modern, efficient and effective post and packaging service in keeping with modern technological advances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14765/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 179 together.

The Government and An Post are committed to the maintenance of a nationwide post office service 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, it is necessary for An Post to address certain structural and strategic issues in respect of the mail service and the post office network respectively.

In regard to the mail delivery and collection, exhaustive negotiations are ongoing between unions and management, with the assistance of the State's industrial relations machinery, to agree a recovery plan that all agree is necessary. A viable plan will ensure that An Post can operate a profitable, efficient and quality mail delivery service. I have urged both management and unions to work constructively to bring this process to a successful conclusion.

Turning to the nationwide post office network, the challenge for the company is to develop a comprehensive strategy that, on the one hand, satisfies the needs of existing customers and, on the other hand, attracts new customers into the post office. An Post has already had some success in winning new business for banking and bill paying services and any new strategy must build on this success with a view to increasing footfall through the post office network.

An Post continues to benefit from a considerable amount of Government business, especially in the areas of social welfare payments and the attractive range of savings products for the National Treasury Management Agency. I am, however, conscious that further investment in electronic services is required to keep our post offices attractive to customers and, therefore, competitive. An Post is already undertaking a pilot project to computerise selected manual post offices and future strategy must satisfactorily address long-term electronic technology issues in a comprehensive fashion.