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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Post office network

Summary

Senator Daly seeks a debate on protecting the post office network, warning that Government policy could leave rural communities without essential services.

I ask the Leader to organise a debate on the post office service. We saw what happened in recent days when the banks in Greece were shut. If we have a properly functioning post office service, in the event of a similar situation arising in Ireland, at least we would a post office service. What the Government is doing with the post office service is an omnishambles. This system will fall apart and many areas of rural Ireland will be left without a post office very shortly. We saw what happened in England, where the post office service was cut to a third of its former capacity.

I also support my colleagues who have called for the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, to come into the House today for a debate on pancreatic transplants. I received an e-mail from a person who is awaiting a transplant. He stated the speech given by the Minister on Wednesday was, unfortunately, incorrect in several ways. He also stated that Beaumont Hospital had not written to all post-transplant patients and patients on the waiting list. It simply did not happen. I am not blaming the Minister, as he was reading from a script prepared by his officials, who are misleading him and telling him lies. We have had that with the Taoiseach in the Dáil, when he was given bad information in regard to lbrahim Halawa. Joint assessment clinics are not in place for these patients. None of the patients has been contacted. As the Minister pointed out, the service has continuously advised people to go accident and emergency departments, which is probably the worst place a person on the organ donor waiting list should go, because he or she could contract an infection.

I also support my colleagues in calling for a debate on the Ballymurphy massacre. While the murder of Fr. Mullan was atrocious, the murder of Joan Connolly can only be described as horrific. Having been shot in the head and in face, she said, "It's all right, son," and while walking around wounded and disorientated, was shot again three times. It deserves a debate in this House, although obviously not before the summer recess. The Taoiseach and successive Taoisigh have met British Prime Ministers, yet the system there will not release the files in regard to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, the biggest mass murder in the history of the State, the murders in Ballymurphy and the Pat Finucane case, which is in breach of an international agreement. They said they would set up an inquiry and yet they have failed to do so.

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Paddy Burke An Cathaoirleach Fine Gael

The Senator is over time.

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These are supposed to be our neighbours and friends.

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Will Senator Heffernan get a chance to speak or do I need to share one minute with him?

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Paddy Burke An Cathaoirleach Fine Gael

He will.

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