Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 5

Written Answers. - Post Office Network.

Denis Naughten

Question:

138 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing plans by An Post to downgrade and close rural sub-post offices; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the company is pressing sub-postmasters to enter contracts to open offices for only one and a half days per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20922/02]

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. D. Ahern)

The Government is committed to a viable and competitive rural post office network. There are no proposals to downgrade or close rural sub-post offices. However, vacancies within the network do arise as a result of illness, death or retirement. In such cases, An Post advertises the post at least twice and actively canvasses for suitable persons to fill the vacant positions. It is only when a suitable candidate for a vacancy cannot be found or where there are no applicants that a post office is closed. Such closures are regarded as temporary pending an application from a suitable person.

The Government, An Post and the unions recognise that the network must adapt to cus tomer needs and the financial viability of the service must be secured if the network is to survive and develop. In order to meet these objectives, the Government has increased the share capital of An Post by €12.7 million to facilitate the implementation of reforms. An Post is also actively pursuing additional business for the network and has recently been successful in winning a number of contracts, including bill-paying facilities for the ESB, mobile phone top-ups through their post-point service and a contract with the AIB under which the banks' customers can access their accounts through the network. Parallel with these developments, under an existing agreement between the Irish Postmasters' Union and An Post, the conversion of sub-post offices from a fixed contract to an agency basis, whereby payments are linked to transactions, is being implemented on a voluntary basis.

The adaptation of opening hours to meet customer demand is an operational matter for the board and management of An Post in which I have no statutory function. However, in managing the sub-post office network, the company and sub-postmasters are conscious of meeting customer requirements in terms of opening hours and this principle is adhered to in terms of the opening hours of post offices.