Five or six years ago, An Post closed its office on Liberty Square, Thurles, and relocated to a shopping centre in the town. That building has now been idle for years. The Government has invested hugely in Liberty Square through the urban regeneration fund. It is completely unacceptable that a semi-State body like An Post would leave a building like this in a pivotal part of the centre of town idle. I urge the relevant Minister to put pressure on An Post to get a commercial outlet in this premises as soon as possible as it is really dampening the commercial prospects of the centre of town. After the huge amount of money we have spent on the square, it is really downgrading it to have this main building in the town lying idle.

As the relevant Minister, I will happily take the example the Deputy has raised and ask An Post why this is the case. We do not want State buildings lying vacant. I absolutely accept the Deputy’s point. I will raise it directly with the company myself.