Vol. 517 No. 4
234 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the time scale regarding the social welfare payments contract, worth £35 million, with An Post; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that An Post could close up to 1,500 of the 1,900 outlets if it fails to secure the payments contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10170/00]
The Government has decided that the contract under which An Post supplies payments delivery services to my Department should be extended for a further three years, 2000 to 2002 inclusive.
Certain legal issues regarding the extension of the contract have been raised with the EU Commission by an interested third party. The Commission is currently examining the arguments advanced by the complainant and the observations supplied by my Department. I expect that this process will be completed in the reasonably near future and I am confident that the matter can be satisfactorily resolved.
I am aware of the importance to An Post of the income derived from the payments contract with my Department. I would remind the Deputy however that the Government, through my colleague the Minister for Public Enterprise, has expressed its commitment to maintain a post office network and to examining the possibility of providing additional services through this network in the future.
