Deputy Seán Walsh gave me notice of his intention to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of the transfer of a post office from Orchardstown to Marian Road, Dublin.
Adjournment Debate. - Post Office Transfer.
I am satisfied that the transfer from the premises at Orchardstown to Marian Road is in no way a political matter. There is no such thing as a clash of personalities between the people involved. I have been asked to raise the matter of the suitability of the premises by the residents of the area. This post office has been located at Orchardstown for approximately 15 years. The premises in which the post office is located is considered to be suitable by the people in the area. The premises concerned changed hands on one or two occasions and the post office remained. This shop changed hands some time recently and it is as a result of this that the post office is now being transferred to Marian Road. As a person who knows the area pretty well I think that the premises to which it is being transferred are in no way suitable for a post office. The premises in which the post office was located over the years were ideally suitable. It is one of the few post offices in the city or county where no robberies have taken place—not that that should be any recommendation—but from the security point of view the premises in which the post office was located were ideally suitable.
The person who purchased the premises applied for the post office and one must be concerned about and be critical of the manner in which he was notified that he was not being given the post office. It is a reflection on the Department. This man was notified by a person who came into his office having seen an advertisement in the papers for a post office assistant. He asked was this man looking for a post office assistant or was the post office being transferred. As a representative of the area in this House I think that reflects on the Department; there should be a better means of communication.
This is my first time speaking on a matter like this and I do not say that the same type of procedure was not followed, perhaps, when another Government was in office. I am dealing with the present instance and I am raising the matter at the request of the local residents from a business point of view.
There are two other post offices in the Rathfarnham area, one in Rathfarnham village and one in Ballyboden. Geographically the site of the present post office, apart from the premises, was ideal. The new location of the post office will leave one section of the Rathfarnham area without any post office premises. From time to time I put down questions to the Minister regarding the setting up of new sub-post offices in the Tallaght-Walkinstown area and the reply has always been there are not sufficient houses or sufficient people in the area. In view of the development of the area and of a section of Firhouse which adjoins it, one feels there is need for a second post office, not to speak of changing the present premises. The Minister may say that he has not heard very much from the people in the area but it is only the past few days that it became known that the post office was being changed. I understand that a number of people were in touch with his Department today and possibly others will be in touch with them tomorrow.
I appreciate the opportunity of being able to raise the matter here but I do not wish to use the full time available. I am satisfied no politics are involved in the transfer. I only recently came to know the man who has purchased the premises. I barely know the man who owns the premises to which the post office is now going. Both are equal to me. There is no question of a clash of personalities. I believe business has been very good in the present location and the premises were ideally suitable. If the manner in which this man was notified of the change is the procedure normally adopted, as a Member of the House I consider that it is a reflection on the system and I would ask the Minister to do something about it. Finally, I am satisfied that the premises to which the post office has been moved are not in any way as suitable as the premises from which it is being transferred.
The Deputy indicated that he would not use all the time at his disposal. I also propose to be brief. I appreciate the Deputy's concern for his constituents and his interest in particular in the postal services in the area. I also appreciate his acknowledgment that the appointment was, as he put it, in no way political and that no clash of personalities is involved.
He raised another matter concerning what he called the method of notification. I am informed that the normal method of notification in such cases was used, that the applicant, in whom I understand the Deputy to be interested, was written to on 23rd November last in this form: "I am sorry to inform you that your application for the position of postmaster at Orchardstown post office was not successful."
The Deputy spoke about the location of the premises and that is one, but only one, of the circumstances taken into account by the postmaster selection board which made the appointment. That board considered that the new premises are in fact as centrally situated in relation to the four adjacent sub-offices, Templeogue, Rathfarnham, Nutgrove and Ballyboden, as the premises in which the office is at present located. Briefly the position is that (1) the vacancy occurred through the resignation of the former postmaster, (2) the vacancy was advertised in the normal way, (3) there was a number of applicants for the appointment, (4) the board made recommendations and (5) I appointed the candidate recommended by the board as the most suitable.
I think the Deputy will understand that in a matter of this kind it is appropriate for me to be guided by the postmaster selection board who have great experience in this matter. In particular I could not appoint any candidate not recommended as suitable by that board. I appointed the candidate recommended by the board as the most suitable.
The Dáil adjourned at 5.10 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 7th December, 1976.