Cork mail centre closure
Deputy Barry says Dáil has opposed closure of the Cork mail centre and challenges the Minister’s claim that he cannot direct An Post. Deputy Bruton replies that such direction would be illegal under the commercial State body framework and says the closure arose from a collective agreement.
I also wish every person who works in this place, all the staff, the best possible summer holiday.
Last Thursday the Dáil voted by 73 votes to 39 for a motion opposing closure of the Cork mail centre and in support of saving the 240 jobs there. The overwhelming vote was supported by Deputies of 11 different parties or groups and was opposed by members of two. The motion called on the Minister to instruct An Post to reverse the closure. The Minister claims he cannot do that and that to do so would be illegal. I challenge that but I will not get into that today.
The Minister is sole shareholder of the company. What is he prepared to do on this? Is he prepared to call in the chief executive officer and inform him of the vote and its serious character? Is he prepared to inform him that he and the Tánaiste are gravely concerned about the situation? Or is he going to continue to do nothing on this in defiance of the wishes of the Dáil and of the workforce, many of whom are the Tánaiste's constituents?
Comment on this
I am sorry but I cannot take other Members in because this is Leaders' or their representatives' questions.
Comment on this
I thank Deputy Barry for raising this as it does give me the opportunity to clarify some of the points. The Deputy is absolutely right that it would be illegal for me to instruct An Post to do anything. That has been provided by this Oireachtas. We consciously decided that the operation of commercial State bodies should not be dictated by political decisions by the Minister. That is correct.
On the substantive issue, as the Deputy knows, a collective agreement was worked out with An Post workers. One element of that was that one of the four mail centres would be closed and that the board of An Post would make that decision in the best interests of its customers, employees and the company. To be fair to the company, it is showing that its diversification and restructuring which it is undertaking is working. It is building new opportunities for workers, securing new investment, indeed for Cork, and aims to provide employment. In terms of dealing with the staff who are unfortunately being displaced, it seeks to support them and offer them redeployment as well as support in terms of a package and retraining.