2026-06-09

We want to raise an issue of deep concern to the community around Griffith Avenue, Glasnevin, in relation to a proposal – which seems to be going ahead – to sell the An Post depot on Griffith Avenue. This has been publicly advertised for sale. Will the Minister of State set out what is planned on this? We have a number of issues of concern to the residents. They really want to stop this happening.

I want to talk about the erosion of a community service. I am conscious the Minister of State may be taking this on behalf a different Minister. I have to be honest - the Minister of State is an Independent who is not part of the same party as the Minister with responsibility for the matter and I am not sure what role the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has in relation to the loss of a postal service. I am quite frustrated. Myself and Deputy Hearne are both here at 11.10 p.m. on a Tuesday evening. We equally have families to be home to. I do not think this is an appropriate standard for parliamentary debate. There was no communication with our offices on the change of Ministers. I think it is really disrespectful not only to our role but to the people we represent in our respective constituencies. I want to speak on the loss of a postal service in Drumcondra but I am also speaking about the erosion of community. Community happens in a multitude of different forms. That postal service parcel delivery office on Home Farm Road, off Griffith Avenue, is a place of congregation. It is a place where older residents in particular in an older part of Dublin city actually find their routine. They find their engagement. They go about their business. It is a source of community. We are about to lose a site from a semi-State entity. There will be a big hole in the ground that once was a State service and residents are angry about it. They are not just angry because of the loss of a particular entity; they are angry because of the loss of a service. There has been no consultation. The residents rightfully feel disrespected. Further compounding that disrespect, when we strive to have a parliamentary debate about the loss of service, while I respect the Minister of State's role, I have no concept of what happens after this. He will read from a prepared script, but who will take this back to the Minister with responsibility, who seems to be able to give a soundbite to the media about some ridiculousness every once in a while? However, when we are here to engage on a substantive issue, we have nothing. I genuinely feel disrespected and the communities we represent are equally disrespected.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I speak today on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, who could not be here. I am reading from a prepared script. I welcome the opportunity to outline the position on this matter. An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to act commercially and as such, day-to-day operational matters including decisions in relation to the size, distribution and future of the network are matters for the board and the management of the company and are not ones in which either the Minister of State or the Minister, Deputy O’Donovan, has a statutory function. The Ministers are aware of the impact that decisions relating to changes in An Post operations have on communities and individuals in both rural and urban areas. This is a matter for the company. It would be inappropriate for the Government, as a shareholder, to comment on decisions that are for the board and management of An Post to consider. Notwithstanding that this is an operational matter, officials have engaged with the company. An Post has noted it is consolidating its national network of local sorting offices, also known as delivery service units, DSUs. It advises that it needs larger and purpose-fitted premises to manage increased parcel volumes. An Post has advised that as part of a citywide plan over this year and next, it is relocating a number of its delivery offices to new city delivery hubs. Among these will be the An Post delivery offices in Harmonstown, Dublin 5, and Griffith Avenue in Whitehall, Dublin 9, moving to a new north Dublin delivery hub. An Post states that the proposed move is scheduled for the second quarter of next year and there is much to be considered before then. It states that its delivery office in Finglas, Dublin 11, will also be sharing the new facility being completed and purpose-fitted at the North City Business Park in Dublin 11. An Post remains in consultation with staff and unions on the details of these moves. An Post has further advised that it will facilitate the collection of missed mail locally in local post offices and PostPoint parcel collection pick-up outlets. It states the move will have also little day-to-day impact on local customers as the same postal workers will be delivering to the same local routes as before. An Post advises that it needs much larger premises or repurposed facilities, or both, to manage increased parcel volumes and to meet the future needs of the city and the changing needs of its customers. It notes these new buildings also represent an improvement in working conditions for staff and make huge inroads in terms of sustainability with regard to heating, lighting and the day-to-day operations of buildings like the new delivery hub. In accordance with section 8.22 of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, all State bodies are required to seek the approval of the relevant Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Sector Reform and Digitalisation in advance of any material acquisition or disposal of land, buildings or other material assets proposed by a State body. Departmental officials engage with An Post on various consent requests and An Post is aware of the requirement for compliance with the code of practice. The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The programme for Government states that the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport is working to deliver on this and an enhanced amount of €15 million per annum has been allocated for supporting the network subject to all legal requirements being satisfied. In line with the programme for Government, the funding will support the stability and sustainability of the nationwide network of post offices, protecting and nurturing a commercially focused post office network. It will also support access for citizens to the key social benefits of the post office network and help citizens access services effectively.

I again express the deep concern we have for our constituents in Glasnevin and Drumcondra. This service delivery office has been an important local service for the community, and this is happening in the context of the removal of a number of local services like local transport infrastructure, bus changes, the closure of Whitehall Garda station, the loss of parking, restriction on transport and ongoing disruptions. This area also has an older demographic. Residents are deeply concerned that changes being made to essential services like this are being made without any consideration of the combined impact on residents who depend on accessible local infrastructure and services. In particular, it will have a negative impact on the quality of life of older residents, those with mobility challenges and families seeking to remain connected to local services. We are asking if An Post has undertaken an assessment of such accessibility and mobility impacts of the change in services. We are not aware of that. We would like to see these assessments done. We are also asking if ComReg has been addressed about this. On the issue of the material disposal of land, has the Department consented to An Post for the disposal of this according to section 8.22 of the code of practice?

I will speak to the Minister of State in his own capacity. He is an Independent who represents the constituency of Galway West. When he envisioned himself becoming a Minister of State, did he imagine he would be standing in the Chamber defending the closure of local postal services? I appreciate that my constituency and his are very different, but I imagine some of the community needs are the same. The older population in my community of Drumcondra and Glasnevin rely on their post office. When I am told that An Post is a commercial State entity, what does that actually mean? Some State entities do not need to be run for profit. They could also be run for community gain. What we are losing through this erosion of community infrastructure, not only in Dublin Central and Drumcondra, is that community itself. I ask Deputy Grealish to remember why he became an Independent, chose to get involved in politics and became a Minister of State and to stand up for genuine public services such as the post office. I do not for one second doubt he appreciates the need for this type of infrastructure as much as I do. Now that he is sitting in that chair, I ask him to become a custodian of the issue and stand up for this infrastructure. It does not have to be a massive post office. It can be a small postal collection service with other community infrastructure like childcare facilities or anything. Let us show a bit of innovation rather than selling the service off to a private fund, which will be a loss to the community. I would imagine the Minister of State's belief system would go against that.

I thank the Deputy for his comments. When I was on that side of the House, we brought in a lot of Private Members' business about An Post. We always emphasised the importance of the post office and the postman. In all fairness, the postman was the connection with a lot of elderly people living at home. He used to call and check on them to make sure they were there. There is always that fear you will lose the services in the area. I will not read out the script I have in front of me. However, I will get a transcript of what the Deputy said and bring it to the Minister. I will ask him to reply directly to him about the issues he raised.