I welcome the Minister of State and Government Chief Whip, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, to the Chamber. Senator Ardagh has four minutes.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Departmental Policies
Go raibh maith agat a Chathaoirligh. I thank the Minister of State for coming here today. My Commencement matter is on the need for the Taoiseach to make a statement on the establishment of a south inner city initiative to support long-term economic and social regeneration of the area, similar to the north east inner-city initiative launched in 2016. In 2016, the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, set up a north east inner city initiative in the form of a multidepartmental ministerial task force, supported by Kieran Mulvey, to engage with local community groups, business stakeholders and other representatives with a view to putting together a number of measures to address the challenges in the north inner city at that time. These included addressing the long-term social and economic regeneration of the area against the backdrop of intergenerational poverty and addiction challenges. While I note and welcome the Dublin task force put in place by the current Taoiseach to address the tourist areas of our city, I am calling for an initiative like the north inner city task force to support residential areas from Cherry Orchard to the south inner city to address the intergenerational inequalities and endemic crime that prevail against the wishes of those communities.
On 17 and 18 May, we had two shootings in close proximity to each other in Drimnagh and Bluebell. Viral footage was going around at the time of gardaí pulling out AR15 assault rifles from garden bushes in residential areas. On the same day, there was a reported stabbing in Ballyfermot on foot of a robbery and on another evening in May alone, 40 car windows were smashed on a quiet residential street in Dublin 8. Terrifying violence on our streets is a daily occurrence. People should not have to live in fear. Neighbourhoods are being rocked daily needlessly and the Government needs to step in to ensure a multidepartmental response to crime and violence in order that we can all feel safer on our streets. It is important that young people are given better opportunities away from the perceived easy life of crime. I will read through the terms of reference of the Mulvey report as they are relevant, given this is what we are looking for in the south inner city. They included short-term responses to immediate challenges facing the community and review of statutory and non-statutory structures for economic development. We had in Drimnagh a local area plan at one stage but this was never acted upon or invoked. It is something that needs to be prioritised in the different communities around the south inner city.
Collaboration with communities and business communities, as well as young people, is vital and we need to see their vision for the future of their areas. We do not need to reinvent the wheel in terms of practices; we need to look at practices and models that are working in other areas and replicate them. Most importantly, we need to recommend long-term measures in areas such as community safety and policing, early intervention and programmes for young people, education, training and employment opportunities for young people, improving the physical environments and the landscapes of these communities, housing, tackling the impact of drugs on community development and in terms of structures to ensure co-ordination between agencies and Departments. Finally, we must identify indicators to measure the progress of a ten-year period. If we do not have the statistics, we cannot see how things are improving or disimproving. I am calling for a similar proposal for the south residential city and I ask the Taoiseach to appoint a chairperson, akin to Mr. Mulvey, forthwith with a corresponding budget, as well as to gather his Ministers to tackle these issues in a cross-departmental way.
Communities are crying our for sports facilities and community amenities for their areas. The system that we have designed for sports capital programmes, however, and the distribution of funds work against communities where they do not own large tracts of land. It creates unequal opportunities for young people compared with their peers in other parts of the city. As Mr. Mulvey surmised in his report on the north inner-city, it is a community rich in assets which is not reaching its potential. When I read this, I understood that by that statement he means people. The very same can be said for residential communities in the south city. The north inner city initiative was ultimately precipitated by drug-related crime in the area. The same issues are prevalent in the south inner city with a great deal fewer resources. It is time now not to leave anyone behind.
I thank the Senator. Before I call the Minister of State, I welcome the transition year students from the Department of enterprise who are here in the Visitors Gallery. I hope they enjoy their day in the Oireachtas.
On behalf of the Taoiseach, I thank Senator Ardagh for raising this matter today. In July 2016 as the Senator stated, the Government launched a major initiative for Dublin's north east inner city, in response to the series of gangland murders in the area and beyond, which arose from the ongoing feud between certain criminal gangs. To assist the work of the ministerial task force, Mr. Kieran Mulvey was appointed to engage with local community, public representatives and other stakeholders on the profound challenges facing the communities of Dublin's north east inner city and to report back with specific recommendations which would support the long-term economic and social regeneration of the area.
The Mulvey report, Creating a Brighter Future, was published in February 2017 and recommended a number of actions to tackle the priority areas of crime and drugs, education, training and employment opportunities, as well as services for families and young people and physical improvements. This report was further supplemented by the north east inner city strategic plan from 2020 -to 2023. Implementation of the Mulvey report and strategic plan is being overseen and progressed by the programme implementation board. The board meets on a monthly basis and its members include representatives from relevant Departments and State agencies, businesses and the local community. The Government has recognised that disadvantaged areas require new forms of assistance to help them prosper. In line with the programme for Government, we are continuing to examine how the model of intervention in the north east inner city could be extended to other comparative areas experiencing disadvantage.
Looking at the north-east inner city initiative and other area-based models, it is clear that there is value in consolidating and integrating the various State-funded and sponsored interventions already under way in these areas and making sure that they are responsive to the real needs of local communities.
A programme board of relevant Departments and public bodies has been established under the auspices of the Department of the Taoiseach. Its work is focused on consolidating or aligning existing efforts at local area level and building on the structures in place to make them work; consolidating and investing in resources that support collaboration and innovation; improving capacity to use evidence and harness existing data in a hyper-local way to respond to specific needs; and reviewing how the State funding apparatus can be an enabler for collaboration and could incentivise consortia and joint enterprises. Local community safety partnership pilots are also being trialled in Longford, Waterford and the north inner city in Dublin.
There is no doubt that there are increased concerns regarding violence and antisocial behaviour in Dublin city centre. In response to this, earlier this month, on 7 May, the Government agreed to appoint a task force to take a holistic view of the measures required to rejuvenate Dublin city centre, both north and south. The goal is to make the whole of Dublin city centre a more thriving, attractive and safe cityscape, and a desirable location to live, work, do business and visit. David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, has agreed to serve as the independent chair of the task force and will bring his wealth of insights and experience to the role.
Evidence from international perspectives suggests that cities need to take an integrated approach that includes a wide range of actions to create socially, economically and environmentally sustainable city centres that can thrive. There is a generally held view that if a city is safe with a low crime rate, people will visit, socialise and consume goods and services in the area, in turn attracting others to do so. People make other people feel safe.
Taking an evidence-based approach to its work, at the end of July, the task force will deliver a cohesive and focused list of recommendations that will complement work already under way within Dublin city co-ordination office and existing initiatives such as Dublin’s north east inner city initiative and the Dublin north inner city local community safety partnership. This will deliver on a shared vision of central Dublin’s public space, both north and south. I assure the Senator it is also envisaged that the task force recommendations may be transferable to other areas of the city.
The task force launched by the Taoiseach in May is related to the central area of Dublin. However, my ask today relates to residential areas in the south of the city, which is some way from the city. It is very much a different space. I take the Minister of State’s point that there might be scope in the future to transfer to the south city what is being learned in the Dublin city centre task force, but we have already seen learnings in the north inner city. It is urgent that we see the creation of a south inner city task force to support communities in residential areas. We cannot wait for more children to die or to read about more shootings, stabbings or absolute mayhem on our streets with car windows being smashed. We need to act now, not just to protect tourists but to protect those living and working in the city and the kids being reared in it. We need a cross-departmental approach, similar to that taken by Mr. Mulvey. A different approach is being taken in the Dublin task force. We need the Department of Education to talk to the Department of Justice. We need to see the HSE involved. This is a big project and it is urgent. We need to see some urgency in respect of the creation of safe inner city task force. We cannot have more people being shot in our city.
I thank the Senator for her input to this debate and the views she expressed. The north east inner city initiative was a unique approach to an extreme time of violence in the area. While much has been achieved, challenges remain. As I mentioned, the Government recognises that disadvantaged areas require new forms of assistance to help them prosper. That path lies in consolidating and integrating the State-funded and sponsored interventions already under way in these areas and making sure they are responsive to the real needs of our local communities. In addition, I think we can all agree on and welcome the focus that has been brought by the Taoiseach and the Government to bring measures forward that will rejuvenate our capital’s city centre, both north and south. As previously stated, the goal is to make the whole of Dublin city centre a more thriving, attractive and safe cityscape for people not only to visit but also to work in, live in and enjoy.
I think we can also agree on the value that David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, will bring to the role as independent chair of the task force. Over the next 12 weeks, Mr. McRedmond will lend his wealth of insights and experience as the task force carries out its work. However, that task force is only at the beginning. At the end of July, the task force will submit, for the Government’s consideration, a cohesive and focused list of recommendations it believes could galvanise actions in Dublin city centre to be the vibrant destination we know it to be.
Special Educational Needs
The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. I wish her well and congratulate her on the new role. I have not seen her here since her appointment.
I received correspondence from Lorraine Lowry, the principal of Scoil Chormaic, signed by all of the staff, in which she outlines some of the concerns the schools has related to special schools. It is appropriate that I read out the letter and have some of the concerns place on the record of the House. They know on the ground exactly what is needed for these kids and pupils. It states:
Scoil Chormaic is a Special School providing education to 219 children and young people from the age of 3 to 18. We have pre-school, primary school and post primary students enrolled in our school. We support children with more severe and/or complex special educational needs.
We believe that disability should never be a barrier to achievement but it is becoming increasingly apparent that with the increasing scarcity of resources and lack of services that our school community is suffering. We, all the members of staff at Scoil Chormaic, Cashel, want to highlight the difficulty we face as a school community in order to have our school provided with essential and necessary resources...
The SERC report was published in 1993 and it continues to provide a basis for special education policy and practice.
The Special Education Review Committee (SERC) report 1993 is used to determine our pupil ratio to SNA and teacher allocation. It is severely outdated. For example, a MGLD class of 11 pupils is resourced with one teacher and 0.25 (quarter) of an SNA. This is completely inadequate to meet the needs of our students.
Our students require extra support to attend and take part in school over and above what teachers can provide. Additional care needs arise because of physical needs, sensory needs, behaviours of concern, social communications, social interaction needs and learning needs. SNA’s are essential to enable students to access their learning.
If children require additional support over and above the general allocation (SERC allocation), schools must apply to the NCSE for a review of their SNA allocation invoking a whole school review, this is a very long and arduous process. The provision of additional SNA support is further hindered by the lack of HSE supporting documentation. Children are once again penalised as their applications for additional support do not meet NCSE criteria if it is not accompanied by a therapy report/document. The review process rarely, if ever yields adequate resources. The teacher allocation to special schools also needs urgent review.
The needs of the children have become more complex but the resources have not increased with the need e.g. dual diagnosis and behaviours of concern. We are in no way facilitated to deal with severe behaviours of concern. When a pupil is going through a phase of crisis, our school should get all the supports needed immediately; additional staff, training, additional physical space, to name a few. The principal in conjunction and consultation with the staff team should have the autonomy to set up the resources as required on a class by class basis.
HSE therapeutic services are wholly inadequate. There is a drastic need for multi-disciplinary teams within our schools to provide the necessary and deserved support to our most vulnerable students. Waiting times for CDNT interventions and support are too lengthy; windows of opportunity for progression are lost. There is an urgent need for clinical psychology and behavioural support therapy that can support both home and school resulting in better outcomes for our students’ and their families.
When resources are lacking or not there at all, the children’s holistic needs are not being met. We do not have the multidisciplinary/early intervention approach that is deemed best practice.
The system is failing our school community, this failure is having a drastic impact on our school.
I will finish my contribution when I come back in after the Minister of State.
I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is responsible for determining the appropriate staffing levels in support of students with special educational needs in special schools, in accordance with the Department’s policies. Special school staffing allocations will continue to be reviewed and updated each year by the NCSE. Special schools are staffed on the basis of their actual student profiles and the disability category of each student. This is in recognition of the work of many special schools in adapting their designation and admitting students with a wide range of special educational needs in order to meet the needs of their local communities. The Department welcomes and supports this practice and special schools are encouraged to expand their admission policy to provide special school educational opportunities for students with the most complex needs. The Department and the NCSE see the strongest growth for additional special school placements from students with autism and complex learning needs, moderate general learning disability and severe to profound general learning disability. Special schools will continue to be staffed on the basis of each year’s current school enrolments and the disability category of each student. It is a matter for special schools to deploy their teaching staff in accordance with the needs of the student cohort and to ensure age-appropriate placement. A package of supports specific to special schools was secured in budget 2024. These targeted measures include the removal of the current 15 teacher threshold for the appointment of administrative deputy principals in special schools supporting children with the most complex special educational needs, so that all of these schools, rather than just a quarter, can benefit from having an administrative deputy principal. These posts will be instrumental in assisting principals with leadership and management functions and to support learning and parental and community engagement. This will make a real difference to staff and students in our special schools. An additional allocation of 100 teaching posts will be provided to all special schools supporting children with the most complex special educational needs. I am conscious that our special schools provide an education for children and young people aged between four and 18 and these posts will allow schools to deliver a greater range of the national curriculum subjects and to improve student progression and transition. Special schools will also benefit from the general increase in capitation rates which apply to all schools.
It is particularly important that special schools are supported to meet the needs of more students with complex needs in their catchment areas and to avoid the need for children and young people to have to travel a significant distance to another special school to access an education. The provision of therapy supports for children with disabilities and the children's disability network team service is the responsibility of the Department of children and the Health Service Executive. Any queries in this regard should be addressed directly to the Department of children and the HSE. Queries relating to primary care and mental health therapy services are the responsibility of the Department of Health.
The Department is acutely aware of the extent of the challenge for all schools, and special schools in particular, in meeting the needs of children with complex special educational needs. I assure the Senator that the Department is doing everything possible in its engagement with the HSE and the Departments of children and Health to ensure that therapeutic services are available to children who most need those services. As the Senator may know, we now have a special Cabinet committee to make sure we all work together on this matter. As I said, this commitment is voiced in the new Cabinet committee on children, education and disability, which includes all relevant Departments and Ministers. We are committed to working to improve the lives of children and young people, particularly those with a disability or special educational need. That allows us as Ministers and Ministers of State to focus our discussion on matters such as therapeutic supports. I hear the Senator loud and clear.
I thank the Minister of State for her response. It must be acknowledged that a lot was done in budget 2024. The Taoiseach has made this a priority by appointing the Minister of State to the role and having her in Cabinet. From the perspective of principals, they get frustrated when they hear this is the responsibility of the Department of children or this is the responsibility of the Department of Health. It is about helping young kids with special educational needs in a school. While I understand that, the role the Minister of State has now within Cabinet with the committee that has been set up is to find solutions. What I hear from talking to staff and the principal in Cashel is that staff are overwhelmed and unable to do their jobs. It is extremely difficult for them. All they ask is that decisions be made by Government that are reflective of the needs of the students of today, not of the needs of the students of 30 years ago. If we do that, it will enhance their jobs and roles. They want to give 100% to the 200 plus students in Cashel. They want to provide a service that gives those kids the opportunities to go as far as they can in life. To do that, they need the support of those in government.
The Senator is absolutely correct that we are all working together to ensure that these children have access to the supports they need. He raised an important question. I reassure him that the NCSE is committed to ensuring that all children can access education suitable to their needs. Special school staffing is reviewed by the NCSE every year. Generally, the number of staff allocated is in excess of the original baseline of the SERC guidelines. Staffing is based on a school's student profile, which the Senator knows, and individual disability category. The Department also recognises that special schools face unique challenges and is committed to ensuring that schools are adequately resourced and supported will. The coming school year will see the introduction of deputy principal posts for all special schools and an additional 100 teaching posts, which will greatly benefit these schools. I reassure the Senator that the Department is doing everything possible in its engagement with the HSE, the Department of children and the Department of Health. We all need to work together to ensure that therapeutic services are available to the children who most need those services.
Cycling Facilities
The next Commencement matter was scheduled to be in the name of Senator McDowell but Senator Dolan requested a change. That is agreeable to Senator McDowell. I am happy to facilitate that request subject to the agreement of the House. Is that agreed? Agreed.
I thank Senator McDowell. I welcome the Minister of State. I know he is looking at this matter within the Department of Transport. I appreciate his time coming in and speaking on this issue. This relates to the Galway to Athlone cycleway, which will transform our towns and local communities in the west with a world-class cycleway linking towns and completing probably the first coast-to-coast, Galway to Dublin route. There is now a cycleway bridge crossing the River Shannon. This off-road route is so popular in Athlone, if I could bring the Minister of State to see it, he would see people walking, bringing out prams and buggies and people with mobility challenges. It is a very easy and safe off-road space to walk. It is very popular not just with cyclists but also pedestrians. It is a safe space. I ran a major campaign in Ballinasloe and east Galway to promote the cycleway over the past number of years, particularly during the consultation process on the different routes and to highlight the incredible benefits and boost to local towns. I acknowledge the support of landowners who look at this in terms of the benefits to their communities. A lot of the focus is on maximising the use of State lands such as the Royal Canal towpath. Coming into Ballinasloe, it is the Grand Canal towpath. It is about using State lands and maximising that use as much as possible. The cycleway office for the Galway to Athlone cycleway is based in Ballinasloe. Most recently, in April, there was a statement that the emerging preferred route from Athlone to Galway was now proposed in two sections. There are challenges with rising costs for contractors. The first section is Athlone to Shannonbridge, Ballinasloe and Portumna, led by Westmeath County Council. The second, Portumna to Galway, is led by Galway County Council. Both sections will link to the existing Waterways Ireland cycleway in Portumna. As the Minister of State will be aware, the reason for this new framework process is to identify suitable providers or reduce the risk by sharing project delivery. When will a project of this national importance and priority be delivered? The timeline has now been pushed, potentially, by another 18 months or two years. Young children come up to me and ask when we will get the cycleway because we have done so much about it. We have always prioritised it, yet we do not have it. There is no public park, for example, in the local area. There are beautiful boglands but cars compete with walkers and cyclists.
We need this work to be completed as soon as is feasible. We need to look at moving this project forward. The next stage is about completing the engineering and environmental designs and assessments for submission to An Bord Pleanála, together with the environmental impact assessment report and a Natura impact statement.
I acknowledge the work of senior engineers in particular within the local authorities and in the office in Ballinasloe. These local authorities include Westmeath, Galway and Roscommon. There has been great commitment, engagement and dedication, particularly by our liaison officers, that is, those groups and liaisons who work with landowners on this and who have done so much communication. I organised public meetings in person and when Covid-19 hit, we had online meetings in which we brought people from those offices together to talk to people about the cycleway and the routes and so on.
This is a major project. How will it be ensured that resources are in place? How will the Minister of State move this forward to planning approved and construction? What is the budget for this project?
This will transform our region and it will be a way to boost community activity. We talk about how we are delivering balanced, regional investment for the whole country. Everyone can see the benefits of cycleways, from Mayo down to Dungarvan. The benefits and the impact are known. It is a wonderful thing for families to go away for a weekend or take a week off and bring children to have a wonderful, outdoor activity holiday, which will hopefully be in the sunshine.
The key part here is that we have been doing this for years. I was involved in this consultation nearly three to four years ago. Can the Minister of State give us an update on how we progress this?
I thank the Senator for the opportunity to discuss this project. It remains a key Government commitment to extend the greenway from Athlone to Galway city. The Galway to Dublin cycleway will be Ireland’s first ever dedicated inter-city segregated route for cyclists and walkers and an iconic cycleway of international appeal. The 106 km greenway from Maynooth to Athlone town is complete and fully open. The greenway follows the towpath of the Royal Canal to Mullingar and along the old rail trail between Mullingar and Athlone. A new active travel bridge spanning the River Shannon in Athlone was opened in 2023.
The Athlone to Galway city scheme was originally paused in 2015. It recommenced in 2019 with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, acting as the approving authority and Westmeath County Council acting as the lead local authority for the scheme. In December 2019, RPS Consulting Engineers was appointed to provide engineering, planning, environmental and other services for phases 0 to 4 as part of an overall defined eight-stage process set out in the TII’s project management guidelines. A preferred route corridor was finalised and published in March 2023. This proposed a 205 km route starting near Ballyloughane beach to the east of Galway city and then proceeding close to, or through, the following settlement areas: Oranmore, Rinville, Clarinbridge, Kilcolgan, Kinvara, Gort, Woodford, Portumna, Clonfert, Ballinasloe, Shannonbridge, and Athlone Castle. It links urban centres, places of interest, established tourism centres and outdoor amenities.
With regard to the Senator’s specific query regarding the status of the project of the Galway to Athlone cycleway and the target finish date, I have been provided with the following summary: this project is currently at phase 3, namely, design and environmental evaluation. In September 2023, the contract with RPS Consulting Engineers was suspended as RPS advised that the fixed price tender sum for the contract, as signed in 2019, was no longer financially viable for the company. A mutual termination agreement was signed in December 2023. During the suspension period, the project was effectively on hold. During the period in which the project was paused, the relevant local authorities and TII reviewed the approach being taken to deliver this project. It is now proposed to retender the technical consultancy services for phase 3, design and environmental evaluation, and phase 4, statutory processes, as two separate schemes due to the complexity of the preferred route and environmental issues, the scale of the 205 km preferred route and the availability of technical and environmental resources to deliver the scheme as one project. The project will therefore be divided into two sections. Scheme 1 will be 83 km long connecting connect Portumna to Athlone with a link to Ballinasloe and will be delivered by Westmeath County Council. Scheme 2, which will be 114 km, will connect Portumna to Ballyloughane Beach and will be delivered by Galway County Council. A project recovery plan is under way, and it is envisaged that the technical consultancy services contract will be advertised in quarter 3 2024 with contractors appointed for both sections in quarter 4 2024. The termination of the contract has resulted in an estimated delay of 12 months to the delivery of this project.
I thank the Minister of State. Is he able to share the estimated timeline for completion? When is it proposed that will be the case? Are we looking at maybe 2027 or 2028? I appreciate contractors will be in situ, hopefully, in quarter 4 2024. It is key that we build on the work that has been completed to date, that we move the project forward in a smooth way and that the teams will work together. I understand that both of these projects will need to work in parallel.
Under the Department of Transport, we are looking specifically at the communication between two teams. Two of these teams will be delivering a major infrastructural project in the west. Communication and how they engage, if they are going to submit both of these projects to An Bord Pleanála at the same time, is going to be crucial. Will additional resources be needed because of the nature of it being split in two? What the date will the cycleway open? I thank the Minister of State for his time.
I thank the Senator. As I said in the reply the information provided to me by the Department of Transport is that contractors will be appointed for both phases of the scheme in the fourth quarter of 2024. Beyond that, I do not have information about the other stages of the project or what its likely completion date is. Projects around the country have been completed in Waterford, Mayo, Kerry and so forth throughout the country. There is a good bank of experience in the delivery of greenway projects. Infrastructure projects that are unusual or a once-off are the ones that are most likely to take longer than expected or to be open-ended. I expect that this fits into a standard pattern.
The Senator said that engagement is crucial. Of course, it is. Without public support, good engagement, compromise or listening to people, the project runs the risk of halting altogether. That is absolutely critical to the project.
The project will be more than just a tourism project. It will be useful for local people, not just for their leisure but also in a practical way to travel between different places. I look at the other end of the Royal Canal as it passes through places like Enfield and Maynooth and I see children going to school and college on it every day. I also see the locals using for walking and cycling. It is a public amenity that is very clearly in great demand in Ballinasloe, Portumna and other places along that route. I will speak to the Minister for Transport to ask him if he has any better details on its likely completion date.
Postal Services
Our next and final Commencement matter is in the name of Senator McDowell and it relates to Rathmines post office.
I am grateful to the Minister of State for taking this operation today. The background to this matter is a letter that I received on behalf of the Belgrave Residents’ Association regarding the proposed closure of Rathmines post office and its transfer of services to another location in the area which is, as yet, unknown. The matter is the subject of much disquiet in the locality. At a Green Party meeting on May 2, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, said that no decisions had been made on Rathmines post office. Later, at the same meeting, he said that the service would remain in the same building. However, letters sent to the Minister by the residents’ association have been replied to by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Jack Chambers, who is responsible for postal policy. On 10 May, the Minister of State replied:
In accordance with section 8.22 of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, all State bodies are required to seek the approval of the relevant Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in advance of any material acquisition or disposal of lands, buildings or other material assets.
The public affairs manager of An Post had replied to residents’ queries on April 18 stating, “as soon as the new Postmaster is in situ, we intend to place the building on the market.” An Post further stated: “All services currently provided in Rathmines post office would be provided in [what it described as] “a bright, modern, purpose fitted post office nearby.” Residents wish to know exactly where this new location is. What I am asking is whether Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has indicated his approval to the sale or disposal of the art deco building in Rathmines. As the Minister of State will appreciate, this is a purpose-built art deco building. It was built to be a post office and the suggestion that services are going to be located to somewhere else or that they are going to be located in the same building is not satisfactory.
The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has asked a number of Ministers to deal with this on his behalf. He asked the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to deal with the matter in the Dáil. On that occasion, the Dáil was informed that:
In accordance with section 8.22 of the code of practice, all State bodies are required to seek the approval of the relevant Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in advance of any material acquisition or disposal of land, buildings or other material assets proposed by a State body. An Post is aware of the requirement for compliance with the code of practice. An Post has indicated that the change in business model of the six offices will not in any way alter the range or extent of the services offered by An Post in those locations.
Is Rathmines the location or is it the existing post office that is the location? Nothing is clear about that. The one thing that has been absent in all of this is the very simple question of whether the Minister has given approval for the disposal of the Rathmines post office by An Post. A simple yes-no answer should be forthcoming to that.
Before I start my reply, the answer is "No".
I welcome the opportunity to outline the position on the matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers. Both the Minister and Minister of State are very aware of the impact of decisions relating to changes in An Post operations have on communities and individuals in both rural and urban areas.
An Post is a commercial State company. It has a mandate to act commercially and, as such, day-to-day operational matters, including decisions in relation to the size, distribution and future of the network are matters for the board and the management of the company and not ones in which either the Minister or Minister of State has a statutory function. The Minister has responsibility for the postal sector, including the governance oversight of An Post to ensure that the company is compliant with the code of practice for the governance of State bodies, and the governance functions included in the statutory framework underpinning An Post.
In line with its ongoing transformation, An Post has announced that it is converting six post offices from An Post-operated to contractor-operated and one of these is the Rathmines office. That post office will join the mainstream of national post offices in that more than 90% of the country's 900 post offices are operated by contractors. It should be noted that fewer than 40 post offices throughout the State are run directly by An Post.
In accordance with section 8.22 of the code of practice, all State bodies are required to seek the approval of the relevant Minister and the Minister of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in advance of any material acquisition or disposal of land, buildings or other material assets proposed by a State body. An Post is aware of the requirement for compliance with the code of practice and An Post has not submitted any consent request to the Minister regarding the Rathmines post office premises. An Post has indicated that the change in business model of the six offices will not in any way alter the range or extent of services offered by An Post in these locations.
An Post has over the past number of years been transforming its business by delivering new products and new formats in the way it operates and this includes, among other things, diversifying and growing the financial services products it provides for individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, to include loans, credit cards, more foreign exchange products, local banking in association with the major banks, and a full range of State savings products. An Post is providing agency banking services for AIB and for Bank of Ireland across its network of post offices.
The Government's objectives for the An Post network include harnessing the opportunities presented by e-commerce and the digital economy and delivering a sustainable, nationwide post office network, offering a range of e-commerce, financial and government services. The Government agreed that an amount of €10 million per annum will be provided by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications over a three-year, fixed-term period to support the postmasters with funding to be dispersed across the post office network. Funding is being paid monthly for each 12-month period and more than €12.2 million has been claimed by and post to the end of March 2024 for the postmaster network.
The programme for Government recognises that a modernised post office network will provide a better range of financial services and e-commerce services for its citizens and enterprise as part of our commitment to a sustainable, nationwide post office network. The overall €30 million in funding that is being provided to support a sustainable post office network is in line with this commitment.
I looked very carefully the text of the Minister of State's speech, which states that Rathmines post office is being converted from An Post-operated to contractor-operated, but the question I asked is about whether the building is going to be closed. I also asked, to use the phrase that was used by An Post, if another premises will be opened, which will be "a bright, modern purpose-fitted office nearby". Is that is in contemplation - yes or no? The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications told a public meeting that was hosted by the Green Party that the post office service would be delivered in the same building. The reply I have been given today suggests that a contractor service will be delivered in Rathmines, but I want to know very clearly whether it is proposed to close the Rathmines post office building as a post office and relocate its service to somewhere else in the Rathmines area, whether that is nearby or otherwise.
The question is whether the Minister has consented to the sale or disposal of the An Post post office in Rathmines. The answer is that An Post has not sought such approval and would need it. It would need consent, it has not asked for it and, therefore, the Minister has not granted it.
The Senator went on to ask about what the plans are and whether An Post will continue to operate a postal service within that particular building. The Minister believes he cannot intervene in matters that we as an Oireachtas have given An Post a statutory responsibility to fulfil. An Post has an independent board with a clear mandate, and it would be inappropriate for the Minister to comment further on operational matters relating to proposals for specific post offices.
An Post plays an important role in serving the needs of business and domestic customers alike. An Post advises that this is at the forefront of its mandate. The board of management works to maintain the company's sustainability and its relevance to customers into the future. The Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, their officials and the Cabinet colleagues are working to support the company to this end. The Minister and the Minister of State, with departmental officials, will reflect on concerns that have been outlined by the Senator.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 11.17 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 11.30 a.m.
Sitting suspended at 11.17 a.m. and resumed at 11.30 a.m.