Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 October 2014
16. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the dramatic restructuring of Royal Mail that has occurred since 2008; if he has considered a similar plan for An Post; if he will support a similar employee shareholder scheme; his plans to commission a report into An Post similar to the Hooper report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40362/14]
View answerWhile I have overall responsibility for the postal sector, the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011 charges the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), as the postal regulator, with the promotion of the development of the postal sector and particularly the availability of the universal postal service, the promotion of the interests of users and the facilitation of the development of the competition in the postal sector. Under this Act, An Post is statutorily required, as the designated universal service provider, to provide a universal postal service. The essential element of this obligation is the collection and delivery of mail to every address in the State on every working day.
The Royal Mail is the designated universal postal service provider for the UK. Two reviews of the Royal Mail’s universal postal service in the digital age were carried out by Richard Hooper in 2008 and 2010. Subsequently, Royal Mail plc was privatised in October 2013.
There are no plans to commission a similar report into the operation of An Post and there is no consideration being given to introducing a similar restructuring of the company or to put in place an employee shareholding scheme.
It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company in a position to provide a high quality, nationwide postal service and maintain a nationwide customer focussed network of post offices in the community.
That said, the Deputy should be aware that operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for the company are matter for the Board and management of An Post and not one in which I have a statutory function. As a shareholder, however, I have a strong interest in relation to the ongoing commercial position of the company and I regularly liaise with the company in this regard.
An Post has undertaken a programme of capital investment particularly in the computerisation of the post office network and the automation of all post offices. This leaves the network well positioned to become the front office provider of choice for Government and financial services sector. A whole of Government review of the scope for providing additional public services through the local post offices is currently underway under the auspices of the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy.
