Post office network future
Deputy Mattie McGrath warns that Covid and cashless payments are threatening the post office network. The Minister says the network remains his responsibility, An Post is growing and diversifying, and post offices should evolve into service and financial hubs.
On a point of information, it is amazing to see Deputy Fitzpatrick complaining but he votes with the Government on every vote no matter what it is on. The Regional Independent Deputies are voting with the Government. They want to play a double act then of being in opposition.
The post office network is under the remit of either the Minister or his ministerial colleague, Deputy Catherine Martin. It is about to collapse if there is no State intervention. Covid is having a huge impact because people are being encouraged to pay by card and payments are not going through the post office. The Government is choking the post offices. Will the Minister and his fellow Green Party Minister seriously look at the post office network because it will no longer exist? This is not just in rural Ireland but also in urban areas where post offices are under huge pressure.
Comment on this
I am glad to say it is still my area of responsibility. It is within the Department. I am also glad to say that something we have seen in recent years is a turnaround in An Post whereby the company is starting to grow again. The company is introducing new services. Only three weeks ago, I helped it launch a new scheme to help people save energy in their homes.
Comment on this
It is working with an energy company and providing the finance. It is opening up a range of new financial instruments.
Yesterday, Deputy Moynihan gave me an example from north-west Cork where a local post office sought to introduce a community work hub centre in the post office to see whether it was a way of attracting business. We need to use the post offices as centres for Government services and a range of new financial services and other services. We are committed to doing this.
Comment on this
We are seeing the expansion of An Post into areas such as parcel delivery, financial services and other areas. I am confident this will lead to growing new business. It will be different and it will not stay the same. We will not retain the mail or other systems as people move on. There is a future for the Irish post office system and the network.