AN POST would have to remain competitive to survive, Olivia Mitchell (FG) told the Dáil.

There had been a significant drop in the number of letters in the past decade, but there was a significant growth in parcel mail.

“An opportunity is generated for An Post by the growth in online shopping, which is definitely the next big thing in the retail business,” she added. “In fact, it is here already.”

Ms Mitchell, who was speaking during the resumed debate on the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010, said there were also opportunities to diversify into online shopping.

Mary O’Rourke (FF) said she believed none of the technological advances, including facsimile, e-mail, text messaging or telephones, would ever take away the need for letters by mail.

“There should always be room in a person’s life, and in his or her daily communications with people, to sit down with a sheet of paper and pen and write a letter.”