asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware of the urgent need for a full post office in the Ballyfermot area of Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballyfermot (Dublin) Post Office.
9.
, Dublin South-Central): At present Ballyfermot is served by two sub-post offices which are considered adequate to cater for the postal requirements of the area. However, it is the intention to establish an additional sub-post office in the area south of Oranmore Road as soon as development there reaches a suitable stage.
Is the Minister aware of the acute problem in Ballyfermot, a suburb of almost 40,000 people, where old age pensioners and women collecting children's allowances have to queue in the rain and would he agree the area needs not just an extra sub-post office but a proper post office and would he therefore review urgently the whole position?
(Dublin South-Central): I am informed there are adequate facilities in the area. Naturally, in any area where certain services are given on one particular day, there will be congestion on that day. My information is that there are other parts adjoining Ballyfermot where the population is just as large and where the business done is larger in volume than the business transacted in Ballyfermot. Sub-post offices are generally decided on the volume of business transacted.
Would the Minister come with me to Ballyfermot on any Thursday or Friday to see for himself the conditions in which people are expected to queue?
(Dublin South-Central): I assure the Deputy I know Ballyfermot very well. I represented part of it at one time. Additional sub-post offices are in contemplation. I am sure the Deputy knows that more houses are being built on the southern part and, as and when shops become available, it is the intention to provide further facilities.
Would the Minister look at the facilities at present available in the two existing sub-post offices to see if something could be done to improve the accommodation?
(Dublin South-Central): I will, certainly.
As the Minister is aware, one of the sub-post offices is also a general store and transacting business there is extremely difficult.