Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has received information regarding the closure of post offices throughout the country in the past five years; the number of post offices downgraded or closed down; the number of sub-post offices closed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26564/06]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number and location of rural post offices and urban post offices that have been closed or downgraded in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26560/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 87 together.

The opening, conversion and closure of individual post offices is a matter for the board and management of An Post. With regard to the post office network, as clearly set out in the Programme for Government, this Government and the board of An Post are committed to the objective of securing a viable and sustainable nationwide post office network.

Notwithstanding that, in line with similar trends across Europe, An Post has undertaken some network restructuring in recent years, Ireland still has one of the highest number of post offices per head of population in the EU. While the Government will support the network in any way it can, the best way to maintain a viable nationwide network is for An Post to enhance existing services and, building on existing strengths, to develop new product offerings. In this light, I asked An Post to bring forward a strategy to put the network on a long-term financially sustainable footing while maintaining its nationwide reach.

The Government recently approved that the board and management of An Post enter into exclusive negotiations with the company's preferred bidder, Fortis, to expand the range of retail financial services available through the post office network with a view to increasing the levels of post office business.

I would refer the Deputies to Appendix 1 as follows which outlines the information requested on the location of the 435 post offices closed or converted to agency in the last five years.