400 post offices facing the axe
Major blow for rural Ireland as An Post looks to cut costs
RURAL Ireland is facing a major blow as management at An Post is planning to close 400 post offices, postmasters claim.
This is the first time an exact number has been put on the extent of the planned closures.
It is understood most of the areas to lose a facility will be rural parts of the State.
The Irish Postmasters’ Unions (IPU) says in a letter to its members that the company has prepared a “blueprint” that will see just 700 offices left. There is a total of 1,100 post offices at present, which implies the loss of 400 outlets.
However, An Post is denying it has decided on any firm number of closures. It says the final number to be retained will depend on the number of postmasters who take up an exit package and how the consolidation of the network pans out.
A letter to members of the IPU said: “The company has prepared a blueprint of what it sees as the ideal post office network from a commercial and social perspective – this is a network of circa 700 post offices.”
Elsewhere in the letter, seen by the Irish Independent, there is a reference to a “major reduction in the number of post offices”.
The threat to the future of the network comes as some 800 postmasters are boycotting the roll-out of a new Smart current account, seen as vital to ensure the viability of post offices.
More than half of all the 1,100 post offices in the State are loss making, An Post told the Government earlier this year.
The closures are likely to be spread out over the next five years, with the ones to go mostly based in rural areas.
The company said there was no decision on final numbers to close. “However, we have to get costs under control,” a spokeswoman said.
MANAGEMENT at An Post is planning to close 400 post offices, postmasters claim.
This is the first time an exact number has been put on the extent of the planned closures.
It is understood most of the areas to lose a facility will be rural parts of the State.
The Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) says in a letter to its members that the company has prepared a “blueprint” which will see just 700 offices left.
There is a total of 1,100 post offices at present, which implies the loss of 400 outlets.
However, An Post is denying it has decided on any firm number of closures. It says the final number to be retained will depend on the number of postmasters who take up an exit package and how the consolidation of the network pans out.
A letter to members of the IPU said: “The company has prepared a blueprint of what it sees as the ideal post office network from a commercial and social perspective – this is a network of circa 700 post offices.”
Elsewhere in the letter, seen by the Irish Independent, there is a reference to a “major reduction in the number of post offices”.
The threat to the future of the network comes as some 800 postmasters are boycotting the roll-out of a new Smart current account, seen as vital to ensure the viability of post offices.
General secretary of the IPU Ned O’Hara admitted talks on the roll-out of the new account and an exit package for postmasters between his executive committee and An Post broke down in the past two weeks.
The planned closures are one of the key topics to be discussed at an emergency meeting of the IPU this Sunday in Athlone, along with negotiations on an exit package for postmasters who want to retire.
More than half of all the 1,100 post offices in the State are loss making, An Post told the Government earlier this year.
No details on the location of offices that are closing are available, but the closures are likely to be spread out over the next five years, with the ones to go mostly in rural areas.
Future
Some will be relocated to larger population centres, while others will be moved to co-locate in supermarkets.
The aim is to have one post office for every 500 people. At the moment, some sparsely populated areas are well serviced, with other larger population centres having fewer offices.
The future of the network hinges on talks between An Post and the IPU, but those talks have broken down.
Tom O’Callaghan, of the Independent Postmasters’ Group, said there was an urgent need to broaden the range of services offered through the network.
“If nothing is done urgently, they are all under threat, fact. It is imminent,” he said.
An Post said due to shifting demographics, the digitisation of traditional services and economic trends, An Post and the IPU had engaged in intensive discussions on how the network could survive and thrive.
“Our vision is for a vibrant post office in every community of 500-plus customers, modern services in locations where people now choose to do business and where postmasters can be sure of a long-term, sustainable business,” it said.
The company said there was no decision on final numbers or locations to close.
“However, we have to get costs under control and accept the realities of the modern retail business, population shifts and the digital world,” the spokeswoman said.