The Government is committed to a viable and sustainable nationwide rural post office network providing a range of services to meet consumer needs. The Government has already made an equity injection of €12.7 million into the network in 2003 to facilitate modernisation measures. Furthermore, the Government has strongly supported An Post initiatives such as the channelling of new utility and banking services through the network. I am exploring with An Post the introduction of further initiatives to continue underpinning our network of rural post offices. In this regard, the company is actively pursuing a number of options in both the public and private sectors.
To date, An Post has introduced new service delivery models in order to improve access to post office services. There are 1000 automated post offices, 475 non- automated post offices and 160 postal agencies. An Post has established 3,000 postpoint outlets in retail premises of which 600 can be used for bill payment.
The automated network accounts for more than 95% of An Post's counter business. This means that the 1,000 automated offices transact 95% of counter business while 475 non-automated offices undertake 5% of business. This figure clearly illustrates the level of business transacted by individual non-automated offices. The current level of automated coverage is considered by An Post to be extremely comprehensive by any objective standard and this level of coverage makes it difficult to justify on either customer service or economic grounds the extension of automation to all offices, regardless of their location or business volumes.
Automation of the post office network was completed in 1997. It is, therefore, only in very exceptional circumstances, such as an existing automated office closing and its equipment being transferred to a suitable neighbouring location, which transacts significant volumes of welfare business, that offices are automated today.
An Post has no plans to provide Internet access to the public through the rural post office network. However, with the rollout of e-Government services, the automated element of the post office network is ideally placed to capitalise on opportunities arising in this space, especially in the area of e-payments. A core objective for An Post will continue to be the retention of access to post office services in as many locations as possible, in the manner which best meets consumer needs, whether services are provided via post offices, postal agencies or the postpoint network.
