I welcome the debate. In my constituency of Dún Laoghaire, we have, unfortunately, lost local post office services in Monkstown and Dalkey. As other Members said, post offices are at the heart of our communities in Dublin and across rural Ireland. They are places people rely on, particularly older residents, people with disabilities and small local business owners who need dependable, face-to-face services close to home. I commend the staff and postmasters who have kept these services and offices going, often under huge pressure and with challenging and changing demands. They are, quite simply, part of the social glue of a community. I welcome the Government’s commitment to supporting the national network. This year, the Government approved renewed funding of €15 million per annum from 2026 to 2030, building on the €10 million per annum provided from 2023 to 2025 to support the stability of the network. That funding is there to give time and space for An Post to accelerate and transform the network, to broaden services and to keep local offices viable. However, funding alone is not the full answer. The priority must be to retain and protect core services that the public depend on, and chief among them is the daily delivery service. We are seeing daily delivery being reduced or removed in other countries. Ireland is different. Our settlement pattern, rural connectivity challenges and the reality that not everyone can move their lives online mean that daily delivery remains essential and not optional. While An Post is a commercial State body and operational decisions sit with its board and senior management, the public service obligation is clear. We need a network that serves every community, urban and rural alike, and we must do everything possible to protect the services that people feel in their day-to-day lives. Post offices still matter. The social benefit they provide communities matters and the Government must continue to support the network.

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