Post Office Network

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 March 2017

Wednesday, 29 March 2017

Ceisteanna (119)

Declan Breathnach

Ceist:

119. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will consider exploring the option of giving the post office service responsibility for the compilation of the electoral register and enumeration of census data to make the service more viable in view of the urgent crisis in the delivery of postal services; if she will include this in the list of extra tasks being considered for the post office network on foot of the report of the post office hub working group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15633/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

In line with the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government, I established the Post Office Hub Working Group last year to identify potential models under which the post offices could act as community hubs, especially in rural areas. The Group’s report has been finalised and it was submitted to, and noted by, the Government this week.

The issue of compiling the electoral register and enumeration of census data did not arise in the course of the Working Group’s deliberations. The Local Authorities are responsible for compiling the electoral register for their respective areas, while issues relating to Census enumeration are a matter for the Central Statistics Office.