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For Oral Answer on : 27/06/2024
Question Number(s): 72 Question Reference(s): 27424/24
Department: Environment, Climate and Communications
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for the Environment; Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 45 of 16 November 2023, to report on the funding provided to An Post to date as part of the €10 million per annum from within his Department’s existing capital provision for the period 2023-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
An Post is a commercial State body with a mandate to act commercially. An Post has statutory responsibility for the State’s postal service and the post office network.
Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network, as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. In line with this commitment, my Department is providing €10 million funding per annum, over a three-year fixed term, from 2023 to 2025, to An Post. This funding is being disbursed across the post office network, with An Post being responsible for operational detail.
The network of c. 900 post offices comprises company offices and contractor post offices. All contractor post offices are benefiting from the Government funding, with the objective of securing the stability of the network during the three-year funding period. There has been over €13.8 million claimed by An Post for the period 2023 to end May 2024 for the network.
The provision of funding to Postmasters contributes towards ensuring both that the public have access to important socially valuable services across the post office network, and, that the network is of sufficient scale right across the country.
The funding provides time and space for An Post to accelerate the transformation and commercialisation of the network to ensure a relevant, commercially viable network, delivering more services to citizens and small businesses. Decisions relating to the network, including actively seeking new business and exploring opportunities to develop new or enhanced product lines, are matters for An Post.
