I thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue this evening. Absolutely no disrespect to him but I had hoped the relevant Minister, Deputy Patrick O’Donovan, would be here to answer. My aim is to bring to the Minister’s attention the unworkable proposals being put forward by An Post in Ballyhaunis and Erris, County Mayo. Neither the proposal to move the sorting depot from Barnatra in Erris to Ballina nor the proposal to move the Ballyhaunis sorting depot out of the county, to Castlerea, County Roscommon, makes economic, social or environmental sense. All of my colleagues, and indeed all of the Minister of State’s Oireachtas colleagues from Mayo, are united in rejecting these proposals. Let us take the case of Erris. An Post’s proposals would mean postal workers serving the Erris area would have to collect mail from the newly opened Ballina depot. This change would mean the 13 postal workers who deliver across the Erris region, an area the size of County Louth, would have to undertake a two-hour, 100-mile-plus round trip each day to collect the day’s post before even starting their delivery. The Erris postal delivery area is one of the largest and most rural in the country and includes many isolated and coastal communities. The decision would have wide-ranging implications for workers, locals, community life, road safety and climate emissions. I met workers from Barnatra and spoke to some of those impacted in Ballyhaunis. The proposals from An Post are completely unworkable, unsafe and socially damaging. It makes absolutely no sense to ask postal workers to drive more than 100 miles every day just to collect the mail before they even begin their deliveries. That is at least a two-hour round trip. We simply cannot have 13 vans travelling from Erris to Ballina and back again daily. It is just not feasible. It is bad for the environment and creates unnecessary risks for workers on an already busy and neglected road. The Ballyhaunis delivery service unit currently employs 13 local staff, most of whom live in the community. The proposal to relocate this service would not only cause significant disruption for these employees but also have a detrimental impact on the local economy and the very fabric of the town. Should the relocation proceed, staff would be required to travel 27 km each way to Castlerea, resulting in over ten additional vehicles commuting daily. This would significantly increase carbon emissions, directly contradicting both An Post’s and the national climate action plan’s commitments. Moreover, any electric vehicles based in Castlerea would still have to return to Ballyhaunis to deliver post, adding unnecessary mileage and increasing energy use and operational inefficiency. Beyond the environmental concerns, this decision could lead to a loss of an early and efficient postal service for Ballyhaunis businesses, many of which rely on timely deliveries to operate effectively. The knock-on effects would be felt right across the local economy from restaurants and cafés to service stations and shops, all of which depend on daily trade generated by local employment. The Ballyhaunis and Erris chambers of commerce are absolutely against these moves. They make no sense whatsoever, economically or socially. The Ballyhaunis delivery service unit is a purpose-built facility, and relocating it would send a deeply discouraging message to rural towns already struggling to retain essential services. Ballyhaunis has already lost two banks and a courthouse, contributing to the erosion of local business and community activity.

Sentiment score: -0.06

The Minister of State's response is really disappointing. This is going to be fought by all public representatives across the board. It completely ignores people in rural Ireland and rural Irish towns. This is the wrong thing to do. The Government is copping out by saying that An Post is a separate commercial entity. It is being funded by the Government. There has to be an influence there to say that this goes against everything. There is a whole social dimension here that An Post and the Government seem to be ignoring. Rural postal services are not just about delivering letters and parcels; they are also about keeping people connected and supported. Our postal workers are at the very heart of our communities. Many elderly people and those living alone know the drivers by name and they often look out for each other. For some, that visit from the postman or postwoman might be the only human contact they have for the day. This represents yet another example of our vital services being stripped away from our rural communities. Locally, people rely on Barr na Trá and Ballyhaunis depots to collect urgent post, such as passports or examination papers from schools. That access will be lost if everything goes out to Ballina or Castlerea. It is not acceptable. I am also calling on the postal workers' union to stand up against these moves. We need common sense to prevail. This plan is bad for workers, communities and rural Ireland. It makes no sense whatsoever to make postal workers undertake road trips in excess of 100 miles on bad and dangerous roads only then to come back to deliver the post. It is just bonkers. It is the most ridiculous idea that the Government has come up with yet. I just cannot accept that anyone would sit down and make this plan. The removal of yet another public service from Ballyhaunis, after two banks and a courthouse have been taken, is disrespectful to these areas. It makes no economic sense, or any sense on any level.

Sentiment score: -0.18