Mr. Noel Treacy T.D., Minister For Science, Technology and Commerce today (Thursday 27th May, 1999) warmly welcomed the announcement by his Government colleagues, Dermot Ahern T.D., and Mary O'Rourke T.D., that the existing contract between the Department of Social, Family and Community Affairs and An Post, for the delivery of Social Welfare payments will be extended for a further 3 years, until December 2002.

The Minster also welcomed the announcement that the Post Office Network will be developed to provide a 'one-stop-shop' service to citizens. This service will involve consultations on the provision of facilities in Post Offices in some areas to enable payment of certain bills and the installation of certain access points in post offices to the internet and other technology-related facilities.

Minister Treacy said "I believe that the Post Office Network provides a very important service particulary to Local Rural Communities. The proposal to develop the 'one-stop-shop' service means that customers will be offered a wide range of new facilities including access to the internet which has become a very useful tool, in all aspects of daily life and is now so important to many people."