Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the investigations he has carried out in regard to the closure of rural and urban post offices; the effect these closures are having on the counties; if he has had consultations with the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in regard to such community based problems; and the plans he has in regard to resolving the matter. [4379/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to a viable and sustainable post office network providing a range of services to meet customer needs as set out in the Programme for Government. The network is geared towards customer demand in both urban and rural locations and must be adaptable to changing circumstances and trends but the core objective of the Government continues to be the retention of access to post office services in as many locations as possible.

The Deputy will appreciate, however, that I have no statutory responsibility for postal services and have not, therefore, assessed the effects, if any, of the closure of post offices. The question of the commercial viability of post offices is a matter for my colleague, Noel Dempsey, T.D., Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.