Management of An Post come to Easkey
LOCAL COMMUNITY PLEDGE TO CONTINUE FIGHT TO KEEP ITS POST OFFICE OPEN
A meeting organised by Deputy Marc Mac Sharry with An Post Senior management took place in Easkey on Friday to seek to secure the future of the West Sligo Post Office:
An Post Office Network Head Aidan O Donnell, An Post Public Affairs boss Angus Laverty and Local Regional Manager Peter Gillespie met with Deputy MacSharry representative of the Save Easkey Post Office’ committee Oireachtas Members and Councillors.
MacSharry said: “I was delighted to secure the opportunity to have An Post senior management in Easkey to see the excellent presentation prepared by Orla Cawley and the local committee.
“It was most professional and outlined the very real need for the Easkey Post office to remain open and also a tangible plan of action for how its business can be increased by way of local support.
“A Post management are said to have listened carefully and assured attendees that the content of the presentation made and all the points put forward will be taken into consideration in their deliberations.
“An Post are said to have indicated that with a current network of 1050 post offices nationwide it was likely that a reduction to 750 could provide the same level of service.
MacSharry said: “Naturally I would dispute this on the basis that while An Post may, given their commercial mandate, be focusing on the bottom line and cost of operations it was the Government’s responsibility to consider the value to communities and the wide range of important services and supports the local post office provide”.
An Post representatives are said to have informed the meeting that “a decision will be made in a matter or weeks.”
This is expected to be perhaps in as few as two weeks, said Deputy MacSharry.
When asked if Easkey could be confident of retaining its post office MacSharry said:
“Given the professional presentation and extraordinary work of the committee and the unity of the community in outlining a clear vision of the post offices future I am very hopeful of a positive outcome.
“It is essential that common sense prevails and that if necessary Government intervention must contribute to An Post’s deliberations so that the value to community rather than just cost to the company becomes the primary focus of this decision”
“Whatever happens we will continue to fight on,” MacSharry concluded.