Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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472. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the current USO provided by An Post expires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40824/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act, 2011 designates An Post as the universal postal service provider in the postal services market until 2023.

This designation, which is for a period of twelve years, will be reviewed by ComReg in 2018  to decide whether the designation of An Post  should continue for the remainder of the twelve years, whether other postal operators should be designated or that no designation is required in order to fulfill the universal service obligation.  ComReg will require my prior consent, under the terms of the 2011 Act, to designate other postal operators or to remove the USO designation from An Post.

Designation requires An Post to provide a minimum level of postal service throughout the State, the essential element of which is the collection and delivery of mail to every address on every working day. 

As previously stated I have no intention to change the obligation to deliver post every working day.