Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 355: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he or his Department directly or through the medium of the Regulator have monitored the developments in An Post post de-regulation with particular reference to the need to ensure the continued provision of countrywide next day delivery of letter and parcel services supported by the countrywide network of post offices and sub-post offices involving enhanced and modernised counter services and ensuring that cherry-picking is not allowed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31003/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Government's core policy goal for the postal sector is to ensure that Irish customers, both business and residential, enjoy competitively priced, high quality postal services. The Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011, which was enacted in August 2011, has put in place a robust and appropriate regulatory framework for the postal services market.

While I have overall responsibility for the postal sector, the Act charges the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), as the postal regulator, with the promotion of the development of the postal sector, particularly the availability of the universal postal service, the promotion of the interests of users and the facilitation of the development of competition in the sector. ComReg is in regular contact with my Department.

Under the 2011 Act, An Post is statutorily required, as the designated universal service provider, to provide a universal postal service. The essential element of this obligation is the collection and delivery of mail to every address in the State on every working day. The universal service obligation is a form of safety net, ensuring by way of regulatory obligations that a minimum set of services is provided at an affordable price for the benefit of all users, irrespective of their geographical location. It is a fundamental principle of the regulatory framework for postal services and is an explicit requirement of the EU Postal Services Directive which has provided for the gradual and controlled opening of the postal services market to competition. The Deputy may wish to note that the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act of 2011 also makes provision for a compensation mechanism, to be met by the postal industry, if it is found that the universal service obligation is an unfair burden on the designated universal service provider.