Future of Ballygawley Post Office still unknown
IT’S been almost 12 months since it became apparent that Ballygawley Post Office could be closed by An Post.
And almost one year on, the community,and campaigners for the post office are none the wiser as to whether or not they are set to lose this valuable facility in the East Sligo village.
Just two weeks ago, Postmasters claimed that An Post is set to close 400 post offices across the country, causing concern for those living in rural towns and villagers.
Despite making regular contact with An Post representatives, Thomas Walsh, Chairperson of the Save Ballygawley Post Office Campaign, says he has not heard any word on the future of the facility.
“We have no news and no update. The last I heard from An Post was three weeks ago, when I was told that they are still waiting on the results of the national review.
“We’re in limbo because there is no end date for the national review and we don’t know when we will hear, and we don’t know when that is likely to take place,” he told The Sligo Champion.
“The frustrating part is that we don’t have any date that we will know by, nobody has it. Like with any other review that takes place we have an idea of when you will hear the results but this is just in limbo really,” he added.
Despite the long wait, and the news that hundreds of post offices could be closed in the near future, Thomas says that he is not concerned about the future of the post office.
“The recommendations from the Bobby Kerr report were sort of in favour of our post office. He recommended that post offices should be part of multi-use facilities which ours is.
“Our post office is costing very little to run in comparison with some of the stand alone post offices.
“When it’s part of another business the costs would be minute compared to the costs of a post office by itself,” he added.
Communication has been made with Denis Naughten, Minister for Communication, but to no avail, at least so far.
“I have written to Denis Naughten a few times and I just keeping the same reply and that’s that this is a matter for An Post, and they will not be getting involved,” said Mr. Walsh.
Just last week, Postmasters announced that they have voted to reject an An Post proposal on the future of Post Offices – after they claimed their contracts have been threatened by the company.
At a special National Meeting in Athlone yesterday, members of the Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) called on the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten to support an investment programme in the Network which financially recognises the social value of Post Offices.
IPU General Secretary, Ned O’Hara, said An Post had contacted all Postmasters over the past two weeks threatening their Contracts over Members’ non co-operation with training on the new An Post Current Account.
IPU Executive member and Western spokesperson Pádraig McNamara said: “The proposed new Contract is for each Post Office to operate on a stand-alone commercial basis and places no value on Post Offices’ social function.
“The Post Office Network is under huge pressure as Postmasters’ incomes are falling dramatically. The IPU’s aim is to keep as many Offices as possible open, to introduce new services and to develop the Network’s social function within communities.
“We need to agree and introduce a mechanism of payment to Postmasters for the core social services they provide. Minister Naughten needs to address this issue.
“A much better plan is possible, and is required, if we are to keep Post Offices open in communities,” Mr. McNamara said.