Paul Bradford
Question:32 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications the steps he is taking to secure finance from the EC Commission for the Irish postal services.
Vol. 408 No. 4
32 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications the steps he is taking to secure finance from the EC Commission for the Irish postal services.
40 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications the efforts, if any, he is making to pursue the funds available at EC Commission level for An Post.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 40 together.
At present there are no EC Structural Funds specifically earmarked for postal projects. As I stated in reply to questions on 20 March last, the European Commission is drafting a Green Paper on postal services. The paper, when finalised, will be a discussion document and will serve as a basis for the preparation of proposals for Community measures. While it is possible that EC funds might become available at some future date for infrastructural investment in the postal service, I see no prospect whatever of EC funds being made available to meet trading losses.