Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 309: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider establishing an inter-departmental group to progress a long-term strategy for the enhancement of the vital post office network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33621/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for the post office network are a matter for the management and Board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. As shareholder I do, however, have a strong concern in relation to the ongoing commercial position of the Company and I regularly liaise with the Company in this regard. The Company has been adversely affected by a significant and ongoing downward trend in its core mail business. In response, the Company has, sought to control costs and diversify operations whilst continuing to provide a high quality national service. I fully support the Company's strategy in this regard.

In this context, I have stressed to my Government colleagues that the increased use of the post office network should be considered by public sector bodies where this is appropriate. In the context of the public sector transformation agenda, I will be engaging with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to new public sector business processes to ensure that the post office network is considered in this regard.

An Post has many strengths and has the largest retail presence in the country. I have impressed on the Company the need to further exploit its unique position in this regard and have been supportive of its attempts to diversify its income streams and to win a wider range of commercial contracts offering higher margins.

Overall, 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 focused network of post offices.