Michael Harty (Clare, Independent)
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617. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his officials have produced an economic impact analyses of the implications of the closures of local post offices with respect to the 159 post offices that have accepted the exit package; and if so, if it will be published. [37550/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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As Minister, I am responsible for the postal sector, including the governance of An Post which is a commercial State company with a mandate to deliver postal delivery services and a viable post office network.

On 28 August, An Post published the location of 159 Post Offices where the serving Postmaster has opted to avail of a redundancy package. This package formed part of an agreement concluded between An Post and the Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) in April this year, following three months of intensive negotiations.  The agreement was subsequently endorsed by 80% of IPU members.

As part of the agreement a new protocol has been established which sets out how An Post will facilitate the continued provision of post office services in areas where an existing postmaster retires or ceases operating an existing post office. In such cases An Post will make an assessment on the future provision of post office services within the locality by reference to specific agreed criteria. Any retailer in the locations earmarked for closure can apply to An Post to be considered to take over some or all of the services of that post office.

Any individual, groups or representatives concerned with the decision can apply to have An Post’s decision reviewed through a new independent review process which will determine if An Post has correctly applied the criteria outlined in the protocol.

While my Department has been working closely with An Post in relation to the rollout of its strategic plan, including the renewed vision for the post office network, my officials had no role in the negotiations between An Post and the IPU or the subsequent implementation of the agreement reached.