I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 63 and 64 together. I have received An Post's Annual Report for 1992 and I presented it to both Houses of the Oireachtas on 27 April, 1993. Where necessary, my Department is having discussions with An Post on issues arising from the Annual Report, including monitoring of progress on the programme of measures to restore An Post to financial health now being negotiated by the Company with the unions. The specific measures currently being negotiated with the assistance of the Labour Relations Commission are intended to achieve a significant improvement on An Post's financial position as well as safeguarding long term employment in the Company. However, An Post has informed me that there will be some job losses arising from the recovery measures. The precise number of job losses, some of which will be temporary jobs, will not be known until the negotiations have been completed. I should, however, inform the House that An Post is not proposing compulsory job losses for permanent staff. A voluntary severance/early retirement package will be available.
The House is already aware that An Post's proposals for the closure of sub-post offices and the installation of roadside letter boxes have been the subject of a socio-economic study carried out by consultants. I am examining the report of that study and, pending the completion of my examination, An Post is not proceeding with the two proposals in question.
On the other hand and as part of its plans for modernising the postal service, An Post, in co-operation with the Department of Social Welfare and the National Treasury Management Agency, has started work on a four-year major computing project involving the automation of its services in 600 post offices nationwide at a total cost of £36 million. This project will provide significantly improved quality of service as well as an extended range of services for customers using these post offices.