Last Friday Bridie Roycroft, postmistress of the ever-popular Ballydehob post office, posted a statement on social media stating that the sorting of post by postmen and postwomen in Ballydehob, Schull and Goleen post offices was now being moved to Skibbereen after decades of being done locally. This is another loss of income for postmasters in rural communities, who will lose a big chunk of their income. These postmasters tell me daily when I meet them that they are already struggling to keep their doors open. Postmasters in rural communities are on the verge of closing their post offices, have now lost another source of income from the post-sorting side of their business and are dealing with an increase of 15 cent in the price of a stamp today. What percentage increase to their income will these postmasters receive to keep their doors open in rural communities?

I do not have the specific details about the Ballydehob post office but it is the Government's objective to do everything we possibly can to support post offices across rural Ireland, and also to bring more Government activity and services to rural Ireland. That is manifest in the huge investment in hubs to facilitate remote working, SMEs, entrepreneurs, start-ups and so on. There are challenges but I will inquire with An Post in respect of the specifics the Deputy has raised.