Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 410: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he proposes to publish a Green Paper on the future of the postal service and the national post office network. [4791/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The future provision of postal services delivery and the post office network will be, in the first instance, a matter for An Post and other service providers. As set out clearly in the Programme for Government, this Government and the Board of An Post continue to be committed to the objective of ensuring a viable and sustainable nationwide post office network into the future. With this in mind, I have asked the company to ensure that any strategy for the development of the company should ensure the long-term viability of the post office network and it is in this context that the Government recently gave its approval for An Post to enter into a joint venture agreement with Belgian Bank, Fortis to set up a retail banking business.

With respect to mail services, I believe that there will continue to be a key national role for An Post in delivery of mails and parcels. However, over the coming years, competition can be expected to increase in these sectors, whether from the privately owned express sector, from the large European public operators now looking for international business or from electronic substitution.

Liberalisation of the mail market in Ireland has already commenced and the Commission's draft third Postal Directive proposes that the postal sector is to fully liberalise across the EU on 1 January 2009 subject to political agreement. The draft directive is currently being discussed at Council. Therefore, in terms of dealing with the challenges facing An Post in the coming years, company management in conjunction with the trade unions, must deliver on restructuring agreements particularly in the mails area.

The development of the postal market requires the availability of competitive, high quality products. The current level of market opening has introduced new players with offerings that meet consumer needs and further market opening will provide further opportunities for new and existing players. The development of further competition allied with a modernised and customer-focused An Post will provide the basis for the further development of the postal sector here. I have no plans, at this stage, to publish a green paper in the above regard.