Despite an agreement in the programme for Government, nothing at all has been done to improve the lot of rural post offices, which is very disappointing. It was agreed that the Government would look into the provision of extra services like the payment of Motor Tax in the Post Office network but nothing has been done. Minister Varadkar said last year that he would be in favour of an enhanced role for local Post Offices yet we have heard nothing from the Government since they have taken office.
The Post Office network is crucial to hundreds of local communities up and down the country and if the Government is serious about halting rural decline then a cohesive and workable plan to increase services at rural Post Offices should be agreed and implemented immediately. This is something that I have been raising on a constant basis since I was elected and I will be raising this matter again at the earliest opportunity.