Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his Department's policy in regard to the closure of post offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37940/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number and location of post offices closed in the past 12 months; the extent to which he was consulted or asked to be advised in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37941/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has issued directives or intends to do so with reference to the closure of sub-post offices at any particular location throughout the country; if he has been consulted in this regard; if he has issued directives in regard to future policy on post office closures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37942/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 to 261, inclusive, together.

The closure of post offices is, in the first instance, an operational matter for the board and management of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. As an operational matter, the issue of post office closures is not one which the company consults with me.

As clearly set out in the programme for Government, the Government and the board of An Post are committed to the objective of securing a viable and sustainable nationwide post office network and the challenge for all stakeholders in An Post is to generate sufficient profitable business to maintain the network at its current size. The An Post network comprises the single largest number of retail outlets in the country. In the European context, Ireland still has the highest number of post offices per head of population. In recent years some network restructuring has been undertaken. This activity is in line with similar trends across Europe. In addition to the post office network, An Post has also established 2,864 PostPoint outlets in retail premises of which 600 can be used for bill payment.

Specifically, in regard to the closure of post offices or sub-post offices, it is only when a suitable candidate for a vacancy cannot be found or where there are no applicants, that a post office is closed. I understand that during the 12 months to 1 December 2005, 30 post offices closed and were replaced with postal agencies providing core post office services including social welfare payments and the sale of stamps. In the same period, a further 17 post offices closed and no longer provide a service because no suitable applications were received in the company following advertisement campaigns for these contracts. In these instances, customers were re-directed to other post offices in the local vicinities. The above closures and conversions occurred countrywide except in counties Kerry, Tipperary, Louth and Carlow.