Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 355: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the postal services Bill, which will transpose the EC third postal directive into law, will include recital 16, which notes that social considerations should be taken into account when preparing the opening up of the postal market; if the Bill will ensure that downstream access, which gives other companies access to the An Post network, will only be allowed to occur at the mail centre level; if the Bill will acknowledge and legislate for the role of postal services in rural areas, binding communities and citizens by providing access to a reliable service at a single price; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41048/10]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41052/10]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 362: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the impact of the proposed European directive on postal services, on the service levels, employment and employment conditions in the Irish postal service; if he plans protections to ensure that it will not bring in unfair competition to the sector and the way he will ensure that universal postal delivery will be provided after new legislation is in place. [41094/10]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 367: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will support a matter (details supplied). [41177/10]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 378: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in respect of the postal services Bill if he is confident this will not lead to an erosion in service levels or job losses, if he is confident it will not lead to the type of social dumping that has occurred in other countries where stable, reliable jobs have been replaced by temporary and poorly paid positions; with the removal of the letter post monopoly from An Post, the way the universal service obligation will be funded; if he acknowledges the high level of service delivered by An Post; if he accepts downstream access must not only be allowed occur at mail centre level; and if he accepts postal services form an essential part of the fabric of our society, particularly in rural areas. [41582/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 355, 356, 362, 367 and 378 together.

I plan to publish legislation to transpose the Third Postal Services Directive shortly. The Directive provides for the final step in the gradual and controlled opening of the postal services market to competition and ensuring the continuing provision of a universal postal service. The issues for Ireland arising from its implementation have been widely and comprehensively consulted upon, and as with all legislative proposals, a regulatory impact analysis was conducted.

In designing the new regulatory framework, the key principles are the maintenance of a universal postal service and the development of a competitive sector providing competitively priced, high quality postal services to both business and residential customers.

I will be submitting the text of the enabling legislation to Government very shortly and will publish it immediately after Government approval. It would not be appropriate to set out specific provisions in the Bill which relate to issues raised in these Questions in advance of Government approval and publication of the Bill Irrespective of liberalisation, An Post and the postal sector as a whole face challenges, not least the adverse impact on revenues from electronic substitution. An Post will therefore need to continue to cut costs and seek to innovate and generate new income streams if it is to compete effectively and be the operator of choice in a liberalised market. These issues are clearly the responsibility of the Board and management of the company.

Similarly, staff issues are the responsibility of the management of all postal service providers and general employment legislation applies across the economy as a whole.

The Government recognises the important role that An Post has played to date and it is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high quality, nationwide postal service and maintain a nationwide, customer focussed network of post offices. An innovative, successful An Post will play a key role in the development of the wider postal sector. To achieve this the management and workforce of An Post must meet the challenges arising from liberalisation, and more generally, as set out above.

I look forward to the debate on the draft legislation when it is published, and will be working towards having it enacted before the end of the year.