10.— Section 12 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) in subsection (1) by substituting the following for paragraph (c):

“(c) in relation to the provision of postal services—

(i) to promote the development of the postal sector and, in particular, the availability of a universal postal service within, to and from the State at an affordable price for the benefit of all postal service users,

(ii) to promote the interests of postal service users within the Community, and

(iii) subject to subparagraph (i), to facilitate the development of competition and innovation in the market for postal service provision,

and”,

(b) by inserting the following after subsection (2):

“(2A) In relation to the objectives referred to in subsection (1)(c), the Commission shall take all reasonable measures aimed at achieving those objectives, including—

(a) establishing such monitoring and regulatory procedures for the purposes of ensuring compliance by postal service providers with the obligations imposed on them by or under the Communications Regulation Acts 2002 to 2011 as are necessary to secure the provision of a universal postal service,

(b) ensuring that postal service users may avail of a universal postal service that meets their reasonable needs,

(c) in so far as the facilitation of competition and innovation is concerned, ensuring that postal service users derive maximum benefit in terms of choice, price and quality, and

(d) in so far as the promotion of the interests of postal service users within the Community is concerned—

(i) ensuring a high level of protection for postal service users in their dealings with postal service providers, in particular by—

(I) ensuring the availability of simple and inexpensive dispute resolution procedures carried out by a body that is independent of the parties involved, and

(II) consulting and cooperating with the National Consumer Agency as appropriate,

and

(ii) addressing the needs of specific social groups, in particular, disabled postal service users.”,

and

(c) in subsection (4) by substituting “subsections (1), (2), (2A) and (3)” for “subsections (1), (2) and (3)”.