Bríd Smith urges state subsidies to save post office network

Good morning, Paula. We think we will absolutely no doubt be supporting this motion, but it is not the first motion of its kind that we have supported throughout the last all term. This issue came up again and again and again, but nothing seems to have changed. I want to thank the movers of the motion and I also want to congratulate the postmasters themselves because they have been relentless in campaigning on this issue. They have given a lot of thought and a lot of effort. into trying to convince the political establishment that keeping the post office open, that subsidising them nationally is the right thing to do. And in their submission to us on this issue, I just want to read out what they are actually seeking. On post to provide the sole bank account for social welfare payments, to me eminently sensible, state money going back into a state subsidised entity. on post and banking. There is a lot to be talked about. That is an entirely separate discussion about the type of community banking modelled on the German or Swiss model that we discussed in the past. I think again, eminently sensible. Investment to facilitate banking through on post to all government departments to channel their business through the post office. An overall strategy for the sustainability of the post office network. And so I really want to again, you know, say thank you to the postmasters for their struggle and keeping up the pressure on all of us to take this issue very, very seriously. Just to comment, and I'm sure it hasn't gone unnoticed by people that COVID has had an impact on this business as much as any other. Their business reduced by 30% during that period. But it should be noted that they were one of the entities in many parts of this country that actually stayed open through the last lockdown. And without that sort of social fabric and that social connection, I think we would indeed be a very, very much a poorer society. So we support the motion and we also support subsidising to whatever level is needed to maintain the network and to expand it because it's importance to rural life and community and because it did stay open through COVID. But I want to make a few points about its importance to urban life as well. It's not just in villages and towns throughout the country that they play an important role, but it's in villages and communities like Rialto, Ballyferma, Chapel Izzard to name just a few in my own constituency where the postmasters have put their shoulder to the wheel and campaigned to keep those services open and do have a real genuine social connection to the community. And so I think the importance of seeing this as a state service, not something that is to be played around with for the sake of profit, is really crucial to the sort of social fabric that we need to maintain and create. It is true, however, that the era of electronic media etc has impacted on the volume of mail and postal deliveries and all the rest of it. But these developments are not what are killing our post office network. I think we can all agree that the role that I spoke about in the rural community is true, but also in urban working class communities. It's a social, it's a vital social role and a link to the wider community that should be safeguarded and extended. And no doubt that when Fianna Fáil were on this side of the house, they're now on the opposite side in power, they supported and, you know, very vociferously and passionately supported many motions that would keep the post office network open, that would create a community banking system etc. But what we're seeing is the painful decline of the post office network. And it's not just demographics or inevitable sign of modernity. The rural post office is closing is actually a political decision. The inability and the unwillingness of government to give the kind of direct subsidies and support that is needed cannot be explained by ignorance or a disinterest or a disconnect with what's going on. The reason for the post office closures is, in fact, neoliberalism and the slavish devotion of many of the parties here in this house to the rules and strictures of that particular economic model, tendering out government contracts so that non-union, low paid, precarious employment by firms that will undercut what the post office networks can achieve at the moment is what's the game here. And this is across all services and sectors. We've seen it in health, in education, in transport. It's just neoliberalism that decides that something, unless it has a tangentially monetary value and create a profit, it's useless. And if the system doesn't have that ability to turn over profit, it must be commodified and privatised. And I think that that is the philosophy that's at the heart of the decline in our post office network. And that's why it's a fight. It's a fight with whoever's in power, if they believe in that economic model, to keep the sort of social fabric that does matter to both our rural and urban communities going. And, of course, the other issue is not being able to expand the post office network as a rural community or indeed an urban and rural community banking structure. That as well is no accident. It isn't even a decision at this house in many ways. It's the power and dominance of the pillar banks who have effectively killed the proposal to set up an alternative community banking system because they see it as a potential rival to their massive profits. So I'll just finish by saying we support the motion, we support the post masters in their campaign and we believe that the economic model that is at the heart of driving this is one that once again puts the interest of profit before the interest of people and community. Thank you.