Vol. 455 No. 2
173 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the plans, if any, he has to introduce greater commercialisation into post offices in this country, thereby granting them greater commercial freedom. [12066/95]
The Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983, specifically provides that An Post shall have power to do anything which appears to it to be requisite, advantageous or incidental to, or which appears to it to facilitate, either directly or indirectly, the performance by it of its functions as specified in the Act or in its memorandum of association and is not inconsistent with any enactment for the time being in force. I feel that An Post has sufficient commercial freedom to discharge the duties assigned to it under legislation and have no proposals for changes in this area.
As I have already informed the House, I have recently asked the chairman of the company to carry out a review and make recommendations on the role and method of operations of An Post and this includes an examination of the suitability of its existing functions so that it will be in a position to respond to the challenges and opportunities which exist now and in the future for postal services.
