Across this country, we are witnessing a slow hollowing out of our post office network and in-person public services more generally. This is not simply an administrative shift or a commercial decision. It is the gradual stripping away of the civic infrastructure that holds communities together. Post offices are far more than service providers - they are the beating heart of many communities. They bring people together, they strengthen social connections and they ensure essential services remain accessible, especially in rural and underserved areas. For many people, a visit to the post office is not just about posting a letter or paying a bill. It is about human interaction, reducing loneliness and maintaining a sense of belonging in our communities. In rural towns and villages, post offices are often the only remaining local retail outlet, frequently integrated with other shops or newsagents. They are indispensable. They provide everyday goods and services that might otherwise be out of reach. Their presence sustains footfall, fosters economic activity and supports neighbouring small businesses. Customers visiting the local post office often spend money in nearby shops, they might grab a coffee or pop into a pharmacy. When the post office closes, that loss has a ripple effect, economically and socially. The closure can feel symbolic. A withdrawal of services and another derelict building, usually on the main street in a town or village. Previous speakers have mentioned how over 250 post offices have closed across Ireland in the past decade. A further 161 closures are confirmed or in process as of late 2025 and early 2026, largely due to voluntary retirements. Rural communities have been hardest hit, representing nearly 80% of closures. The network is consolidating to approximately 950 locations and there are concerns that up to a third of the remaining rural offices are at risk. That is not the future of our public services; it is their erosion and it is irresponsible. The Ministers, Deputies O’Donovan and Chambers, are required to sign-off on the disposal of an An Post property. That means they have the authority to stop the wholesale sell off of publicly-owned post office buildings. Yet, when we directly asked whether they would prevent such sales no undertaking was given. Yes, the ways people use post offices changed and the traditional mail service - we cannot deny that - but market trends cannot justify cutting a public service, which is what this is. It is the reduction of a public service many people still rely on. Not everyone has high-speed Internet or is comfortable navigating online systems. Not everyone can manage complex digital forms. For older people, those with disabilities, those with lower levels of digital literacy, those new to an area and those who simply value face-to-face assistance, the local post office is a lifeline. This is where political will must step in. Let us future-proof our An Post services to breathe new initiatives back in to local services. The Labour Party is pushing for a transformation of the post office network into genuine community hubs that are not relics of the past but pillars of the future. A reimagined post office service could offer passport and driving licence renewals; motor tax payments; NCT bookings and other public service appointments; citizens information services; voter registration support; and space for local groups, youth services, and community meetings. This model would keep post offices viable while strengthening communities. It would reduce pressure on other overstretched public services. It would ensure that those who struggle with digital systems are not excluded. It would anchor civic life in our towns and villages, something that is currently lacking. Other countries have embraced this model and we can look to them for research and guidance. There is no reason Ireland cannot do it. In my constituency of Dublin Fingal West, particularly in the towns of Rush and Lusk which balance a rapidly growing population with a strong local identity, the sense of familiarity and trust matters. Losing a post office can often feel like losing part of the town's social fabric. In growing commuter towns, not everybody works locally during the day but the post office remains a constant, accessible public service at the heart of the community. It provides essential services such as bill payments, pensions, social welfare collections, banking, passport applications and parcel services. For older residents, people without reliable transport or those who are less comfortable with online services, having a local branch is crucial. Economically, post offices support nearby businesses and ensure footfall without which small retailers can struggle. In short, for towns like Rush and Lusk a post office is not just a postal facility; it is a vital public service, a social hub and an anchor for the local community. Another area that is being ripped apart by closures is Deputy Ivana Bacik's constituency of Dublin Bay South. She is working alongside our local representatives in Rathmines, Councillors Dermot Lacey and Fiona Connelly, who have been working hard regarding the future of the An Post in Rathmines, which is roughly the size of Drogheda. An iconic 1930s post office building faces closure, relocation and sale to the private market. The area has already lost its citizens' information centre and its public partnership office. The Labour Party believes that the State should not be stripping an asset that is essential for community infrastructure, particularly in an area that is already starved of public amenities and civic space. It is not just Rathmines; we have seen closures in Ballsbridge and Harold's Cross, and reports of reduced services in Ranelagh. It is not happening in isolation; it is a pattern. In the past year it has taken persistent effort and a groundswell of public activism to secure even minimal engagement between An Post and Dublin City Council regarding the future of the Rathmines building. The level of debate in the Dáil today shows that awareness is growing. The importance of this issue is seeping through, but awareness is not action. If we allow these closures to continue unchecked, we will wake up one day to find that an essential layer of community life has vanished and rebuilding it will be far more expensive, financially and socially, than preserving it will now. Ministers have statutory powers which must be used for the public good and not to facilitate a sell-off of civic amenities or essential lifelines for our communities. The Government must commit to a long-term strategy that keeps post offices in public ownership and expands their role as service providers and hubs. Communities should not have to fight - building by building, town by town, and village by village - to retain essential infrastructure. Post offices are not merely commercial outlets; they are anchors of community life. They keep people connected, they support local businesses and they stop dereliction on main streets. They provide human contact in an increasingly impersonal online world. If we truly believe in balanced regional development, in social inclusion and in vibrant communities, the preservation and retention of our post office network must be part of that vision. The time for talking about closures is over. The time to secure our post offices' future happens today in this Chamber and the social value should always exceed profit.

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