Written answers

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Postal Services

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

632. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding persons who offer services of postal agencies in the community; the proposals there would be in the future to enable postal agencies to process local property tax, car tax, water charges, TV licence, savings bonds, dog and gun licence, registered post, passport, penalty points and so on. [14132/14]

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Matters relating to the postal agencies, including those raised by the Deputy, are an operational matter for the management and Board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function.Postal agencies were originally introduced in 2002 as a mechanism to facilitate the rationalisation of the network by ensuring that when a Post Office contract was ceased, Department of Social Protection payments continued in the locality. Postal agencies are valued for the commercial benefit of the footfall they bring to the retail business of the contract holder. The postal agency contract provides for the making of Department of Social Protection payments; it provides for no other Post Office services.

In recent years, An Post has ceased establishing any new postal agencies due to the increasing level of security and credit risk associated with them. There are no plans to increase the services available at existing postal agencies. In relation to the future of the post office network including the introduction of new services, I clearly set out my position in the Dáil on 25 February last.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.