Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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306. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress under the programme for Government commitment to act swiftly on the recommendations of the post office business development group by supporting the introduction and rollout, by An Post, of an e-payment account in 2016; and when such proposals will be published. [40810/16]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The final report of the Post Office Network Business Development Group, which was published in January of this year, made a number of recommendations to support the future sustainability of post offices, including a recommendation around the development by An Post of a basic payment account.

The Programme for a Partnership Governmentcommits to supporting the introduction and rollout by An Post of an ePayment account to enhance post office activity in financial services and increase footfall.

My Department had been examining the potential for An Post to offer such an account. However, An Post addressed the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on 9^thNovember and indicated that the company intends to introduce a new payment account in the first quarter of 2017. I understand that this account will have all the features of a normal bank account, apart from a cheque book and overdraft facilities. I have asked my officials to request further details from An Post on how this account will operate.