an post set to rubber stamp closures on 160 offices
td slams attack on rural ireland
MORE than 160 post offices across the country will close by the end of the year, it was confirmed yesterday.
An Post said the list of outlets to go will be issued at the end of the month once the details have been confirmed with each Postmaster.
But it added communities with at least 500 residents will have a post office and more than 95% of the population will be within 15km of at least one. All island post offices are being retained.
An Post’s Debbie Byrne said: “Some closures were inevitable in a network that has been largely unchanged for many years.
“We appreciate that these decisions have not been easy for the individual postmasters and we are grateful for their dedication over many years of service in their communities.”
It has emerged bosses made a deal with the Irish Postmasters’ Union to offer around 300 smaller outlets the opportunity to take a retirement package.
Up to 110 outlets expressed an interest in the package.
But Fianna Fail TD Timmy Dooley compared the removal of rural services to “as a direct attack on rural Ireland”.
He said: “Let me be clear. Postmasters and mistresses who opt to take the redundancy package are absolutely entitled to do so.
“They have given years of fantastic service. However An Post and the Government cannot be allowed to use these redundancies as a smokescreen to close the post offices.”
Sinn Fein’s Martin Kenny TD said: “Is this part of the Government’s project Ireland 2040 plan to develop rural Ireland, by destroying rural communities and increasing rural decline with the removal of local services?
“A community with a standalone post office that has a low level of business must be given every opportunity to keep the post office in their community.”
We know these decisions have not been easy for postmasters
Debbie byrne An POST SPOKESWOMAN YESTERDAY