Brian O'Shea
Question:10 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will clarify the position regarding the postPoint service provided by An Post (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24220/01]
Other Questions. - An Post Services.
I should point out to Deputy Naughten that there will be a fuller answer on this issue later. I am aware that the postPoint service is an issue of major concern to postmasters and postmistresses and that there has clearly been some misunderstanding as to the background to the service.
In May 2000, An Post won a contract from Eircell to install and operate 4,000 credit card terminals for payment purposes in that company's network of "Ready to Go" agents. The implementation of this service, subsequently branded postPoint, has been under way since October last year and approximately half of the retailers that have a "Ready to Go" agency have been connected to the service. Had An Post not been successful in winning the contract, it would have been set up and operated by competitors. Such a payment service is already provided by An Post through the company's network of 1,000 automated post offices and An Post considered this crucial to it winning the contract. I am also informed that Eircell's top-ups are available on an over the counter basis at non-automated offices.
I thank the Minister for her reply. Can she give the House a categorical assurance that An Post is not targeting retailers to incorporate a postPoint in their outlets, although there is nothing wrong with that, and promising retailers a range of postal and electronic based transition services? Can she give an assurance that it is only postPoint in regard to the topping up cards for 086 and 087 mobile telephones and that this is the only function An Post is promising retailers when the service is agreed and is to be installed?
The issue of postPoint, not the precise details the Deputy mentioned, is one of the items being discussed at the forum chaired by Phil Flynn. The forum includes members of the IPU, An Post and representatives of Departments. I await the outcome of the forum, scheduled for the end of the year, as to the future scope of postPoint.
I did not ask the Minister what might emerge from that meeting. Has An Post promised retailers other than postmasters that they will be given services other than the topping up card services for mobile telephones? Are they being promised other postal or electronic services? I am not interested in what happens after the meeting next Monday but in what has happened. There is an obvious conflict between what the Minister said in a reply to me and the statement from the Irish Postmasters Union.
It is not a meeting next Monday but a series of meetings under a forum. I do not have information to hand on what An Post said to retailers. I will find out what the situation is and convey that information to the Deputy.
We have had the Flynn report, the interdepartmental report and we now have the forum. When will the Minister take action to ensure the survival of the sub-post office network? Other than telling An Post not to close sub-post offices, what action has she taken in the past four years? Has the Minister any estimate of the cost involved in establishing the Government services network of—
I already answered that. I have no idea because it has not been set up. It is the Government's decision that where a suitable man or woman to fulfil the post office function does not turn up, it will make available to the citizens of the area an outlet where they can access their rights. No previous Government secured an increase for postmasters and postmistresses but I did. I cannot answer for why the Deputy's party did not do it.
I was not here.
With regard to what we will do to ensure the viability of post offices, that is the reason the forum was set up. The Irish Postmasters Union was telling me its difficulties on the one hand and An Post was telling me its difficulties on the other. We now have them talking in one room and hopefully common sense will emerge.