I am absolutely sick and tired of coming into this Chamber to complain about basic services not being delivered correctly or being removed to satisfy a corporate need rather than a public service. It seems to be a constant. I am in here every other week giving out about various emanations of the State. I am fed up with it and my constituents are fed up with it. Here we are once again and I am back to give out. This time it is about An Post threatening to close its sorting office in Harmonstown and relocate it to Finglas. This sorting office services parts of Coolock, Artane, Raheny and other areas covering a very significant population. Reports of its moving to Finglas are particularly concerning because there is no direct public transport link from Raheny, Coolock and Artane to Finglas. This proposal makes absolutely no sense. The local community relies on having accessible postal services and moving this service to Finglas would place an unnecessary burden on local residents, especially on older people who already struggle with accessing public transport and their own mobility. Finglas is simply not well connected to our community. There is no straightforward public transport link that would allow people to travel there easily and independently. If this daft proposal proceeds, people will have to travel by car which will just add traffic to the M50 carpark at a time when the country is trying to reduce our carbon footprint. My constituents are very worried about how they will collect parcels, deal with registered post, deal with missed deliveries and access postal services if this goes ahead. These are very basic services that people should be able to access within their own local community. Indeed, the EU proximity principle that is applied in many instances should be applied in respect of these services. Reducing accessibility is the wrong approach entirely. This idea has to be scrapped and I am asking the Minister to intervene on this and impress on An Post the value placed on the sorting office in Harmonstown and the damage that will be caused if it is to be relocated. An Post claims it requires bigger premises. There is a site owned by Dublin City Council right next-door to the sorting office. If An Post purchased a small piece of that site and a delicately planned planning application was made, I am sure it could be the solution. However, not having considered an extension and moving everything over to Finglas is daft. People are sick and tired of services being pulled from their communities and this will be another valuable amenity lost in the area I represent. This is an awful proposal and it needs to be stopped. The Minister, as shareholder on behalf of the people, needs to intervene.

Sentiment score: -0.11

I am not happy with this hand-wringing exercise to say there is no statutory function. As a shareholder in the company, the Minister has some influence over decisions that are being made. If a State-owned body or a semi-State body in which a Minister has a shareholding is not influenceable, there is a serious issue. I welcome, however, the Minister of State's remarks that he will bring the concerns to the attention of the line Minister. I look forward to hearing further in that regard.

Sentiment score: -0.05