Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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87. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding changes to the An Post retail and mail delivery businesses in the context of the retention of the universal social obligation. [53130/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to deliver a postal delivery service and viable post office network. It is also designated as the sole universal service provider under the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011 which requires it to, among other things, fulfil the universal service obligation of a 5 day per week delivery service. As Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, I have responsibility for the governance of An Post, ensuring the company is fully compliant with the 2016 Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and the governance functions included in the statutory framework underpinning An Post.

Operational matters and the role of developing and implementing commercial strategies for An Post mails and retail businesses are matters for the board and management of An Post and I, as Minister, have no statutory function in relation to such issues.

An Post is continuing to make good progress in implementing its strategic plan which will see a range of developments across the mails and retail businesses. A €30m loan was provided by the Government to An Post to support the required transformation programme, to ensure the continued delivery of the universal service obligation to deliver post to every address every working day, which is a European Union requirement, and to support a nationwide post office network.