On a point of order, I understand the health committee under Deputy Michael Harty was having that discussion today, with it having been brought forward by five weeks. We all want to support Vera Twomey.

Sa programme Rialtais, gealladh lán-chabhair do na hoifigí poist ar fud na tíre. As the Taoiseach knows, bhí scéal sa pháipéar maidin inniu about 80 post offices that might go under the Kerr report. The Rural Independent Group had a motion in the House some weeks ago and we spent a long weekend negotiating with the Taoiseach's office, the Minister of State, Deputy Ring's office and the Minister, Deputy Naughten's office to agree that motion. We were grateful and we submitted it, and the Government supported it and allowed it through. How can it happen, some short number of weeks afterwards, that a selective leak can come out just days after the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, announced last Friday he was going to have a consultation about how community banking could be rolled out in the post offices? Tá ceist mhór anseo. We need action. We on this side of the House cannot be used in this way. The Rural Independent Group wants to support rural post offices. The Government accepted the motion but then we have this kind of balderdash coming out in the newspapers this morning.

First, I have to declare an interest as I am postmaster of a small post office. On page 48 of the programme for Government a clear commitment is given to our post offices. Can the Taoiseach explain why, today, we have a report of 80 post offices closing? That is not the big story, however. The big story is that, as I told the Taoiseach before in this House, 700 post offices will close in the next three years. The Taoiseach will not close them, nor will the next Taoiseach. It is ourselves who will close them. I was speaking to a postmaster today who told me his income will go from €27,000 down to €12,000. The Government needs to implement the merit of the motion we brought before this House, which got unanimous support in November from Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Government, the Independents and everyone else. Unless the Government implements that in a real fashion and brings in community banking to follow the success around the world such as in China or New Zealand-----

Tá an t-am caite.

We need to look at all the places where community banking has worked and has saved their networks. I plead with the Taoiseach and his Government to work in a proper fashion to ensure we do not go down the wrong road, and to save our post offices.