Tá fíorthábhacht a baint leis na hoifigí an phoist timpeall na tíre. Tá siad i gcroílár an phobail i ngach pobal timpeall na hÉireann. Cuirim fáilte roimh a thuilleadh maoiniú; timpeall is €15 milliún a fógraíodh i mí Eanáir. Is rud fíorthábhachtach é sin. Tá seirbhís poiblí riachtanach á chur ar fáil ag na hoifigí an phoist fud fad na tíre. As I have just said through Gaeilge, particularly during Seachtain na Gaeilge, the post office network and post offices play a vital part in our local communities, be that in rural or urban settings. What we are seeing a lot of in urban settings, and also in rural, is the retirement of postmasters and postmistresses who had family businesses. Those post offices are now moving to other settings. In Leixlip, for example, the post office was moved from the main street up to Barnhall, and it has been far more difficult for older people particularly to get to that part of the town. It is extremely difficult for those living in Confey to get up the hill to Barnhall on the far side of the town. As the Minister of State knows, the main clientele within post offices are older people in our communities. We need to pay heed to that and acknowledge, when new contracts are being awarded, that they should in a central location that is convenient for older people to get to. In Celbridge, the Murray family has run the Celbridge post office since 1987, nearly 40 years, with Aileen and her mum, Eileen, before her. I thank them for their service to the community. There have been 11 bids for the post office in Celbridge, which I welcome. This means there will be a continuation of service, but it is critical that this service remain in a location that is accessible, not just for older people but also for people with disabilities and the entire community. It has been touched on here that the diversification of the post office network is crucial. We have seen some of it particularly when it comes to parcels and social welfare payments, but we need to look at it as a hub in the community, which it is, and diversify from a business perspective.

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