Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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143. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when his plan for the future of post offices will be published. [9846/14]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The importance of maintaining a network of post offices around the country is recognised in the Programme for Government. 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 in the community.

That said, the Deputy should be aware that operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for the post office network are a matter for the Board and management of An Post and not one in which I have a statutory function. As shareholder, however, I have a strong concern in relation to the ongoing commercial position of the Company and I regularly liaise with the Company in this regard.

It is for that reason that I am very pleased that the decline in post office numbers has been arrested. Figures in the Grant Thornton report show that, although there were 197 closures between 2006 and 2010, from the end of 2010 to date 17 closures have occurred.

The reports undertaken by the Irish Postmasters' Union and the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications on the future of the post office network are a comprehensive collection of thoughts, issues and opportunities concerning the post office network and set out many options for exploration in relation to the future development by An Post of the post office network.

An Post has undertaken a programme of capital investment particularly in the computerisation of the post office network including the automation of all post offices. As a result, the post office network stands well positioned to become the front office provider of choice for Government and the financial services sector for both electronic transactions as well as the more traditional over the counter transactions. Any such developments would, of course, need to be subject to public procurement requirements as appropriate.

On the 25th February, I welcomed the fact that the Government has agreed to my proposal for a whole-of-government consideration, encompassing central and local government and the wider public service, of the nature and extent of services that can be provided to the public using the post office network as a front office of government. This whole-of-government analysis will be undertaken in the first instance by the Cabinet committee on social policy with a view to a report to Government by that committee. This will afford an opportunity for a holistic review of the range of services which could be provided by the post office network and could perhaps yield synergies among the different agencies.